You like many people, might not realise that there is no such thing as a common
law spouse. The laws around inheritance can seem outdated in many areas and
don’t recognise modern family structures and living arrangements.
If you’re in a long-term relationship, but not married or in a civil
partnership, making a will is particularly important. If you don’t write a will
your partner could end up inheriting nothing when you die. Instead your estate
would be distributed according to the rules of in
If you get remarried any will you have made previously is revoked by the
marriage. This will mean you no longer have a will and if you were to die your
estate would be distributed according to the rules of intestacy. Find out more
in our ‘Rules of intestacy’ article.
However, the will won’t be revoked if it states you are about to marry a
particular person and you don’t want the the will to be revoked when that
happens. If you want to make a will before your remarriage and want it to
continue
If you’ve already got a will and you’re planning to get divorced, now could be a
good time to review it and if needed write a new one.
Will your will still be valid?
When you get divorced your will is still valid. However, any provisions you’d
made in your will to leave your estate to your spouse or for them to be an
executor will be ineffective from the day your marriage ends, unless the will
says otherwise. It’s also worth bearing in mind that until your divorce is
finalised, your spouse will
Yes, your will should still be valid. However, if your ex-spouse or civil
partner was appointed as an executor of the will or if they were to inherit
property from you, they will be treated as though they had died on the day your
marriage or civil partnership ended. The practical consequence is that they
cannot act as executor and they do not inherit.
Although your will is still valid, getting divorced could be a the perfect time
to review it, especially if you had previously planned to leave
Unfortunately it does happen. Quite often you make your will years in advance of
actually needing it and a lot can change during that time. So, if someone dies
who you’ve named as a beneficiary in your will, what will happen?
You have three options:
1. Change your will – if someone dies you could amend your will or write a new
one to reflect that change. We recommend you review your will on a regular
basis anyway to see if any changes need to be made.
2. With an Affio will you can sp
If you have documented your wishes that are to be carried out after your death
in the form of a will, you will need to review it periodically.
Having your estate and finances distributed to people of your choosing can be
handled legally by way of a will. However if your circumstances change you may
want to alter things like beneficiaries or change assets that are bequeathed to
a specific person.
Life brings about many changes and there are a number of instances where you may
need to amend your Read More »
In the eventuality that the unthinkable happens, you will need a will to make
provision for your partner or spouse. This will not only ensure that they are
financially provided for, it will saves months of painful legal process and
potential disagreements with other relatives.
Making a will is not always on the forefront of everyone's mind especially when
daily living, work, and other things take over. However, it is a sound part of
your overall financial planning.
If you happen to die befor Read More »
Traditionally, the way to write a will and get your affairs in order has been to
engage the services of a solicitor. Having expert help to walk you through the
legal steps required gives a level of comfort and security when it comes to
making plans for your estate.
It also comes at a price.
Using a solicitor to document how you want your finances and assets managed in
the event of your passing does not come cheap. It can also take more than one
appointment which can rack up the cost.
An onl Read More »
You may have thought once or twice about preparing your will. It is one of those
tasks that is easily put off, but it is essential to protect your family, your
estate, and convey your wishes legally and effectively.
However, like many others you may have delayed writing your will for any number
of reasons.
It can be time consuming
It can be stressful or unpleasant
It can be expensive
To draft a will in the traditional manner you will need to book an appointment
with a solicitor, sort out Read More »
Now the hangover has passed and we are back into daily routine here are three
simple things you should sort out in the New Year to keep your AFFairs In Order
(thats the origin of the affio name).
1. Write your Will – it should take between half an hour and an hour to do on
affio. Print it, sign it in front of witnesses and put it somewhere safe.
Tell someone you trust where your Will is! Wills are much simpler than
people realise and it is better to have something and come back lat Read More »
