Make sure your wishes are clear.

A Will puts you in control of what happens after your death, allowing you to decide who receives your property, money and possessions, make provision for the people you care about and set out arrangements for children and other loved ones.

If you die without a valid Will, the law decides who receives your estate under the intestacy rules, which may be very different from what you would have wanted for your partner, children or wider family.

Even a relatively straightforward estate can benefit from a Will because it gives your family clear instructions, reduces uncertainty and makes your wishes much easier to understand after your death.

Yes — your Will can set out what you want your spouse, civil partner or partner to receive and help ensure that the people closest to you are provided for in the way you intend.

Yes — your Will can provide for your children financially, specify how and when they should receive an inheritance and include your wishes regarding guardianship while they are under 18.

Yes — your Will allows you to specify who should benefit from your estate and how your property, savings, possessions and other assets should ultimately be distributed.

An unmarried partner does not automatically have the same inheritance rights as a spouse or civil partner, making a properly prepared Will particularly important if you want to provide for them.

Your executor is the person you trust to deal with your estate, settle outstanding matters and ensure that the wishes you have recorded in your Will are carried out.

Yes — you can appoint more than one executor, which can provide additional reassurance and allow responsibility for administering your estate to be shared.

Yes — if there are belongings with financial or sentimental importance, your Will can specify who you would like to receive them rather than leaving your family to decide.

Yes — your Will can make specific gifts to grandchildren, relatives, friends or others who are important to you and set out how you would like those gifts handled.

Yes — your Will can include a gift to a charity or cause that matters to you, allowing you to leave a legacy alongside the provision you make for family and friends.

Yes — your Will can be reviewed and, where appropriate, updated as your life changes through marriage, children, property purchases, separation or other significant events.

A carefully prepared Will can include alternative arrangements so that it remains clear what should happen to an intended inheritance if a beneficiary dies before you.

While no Will can guarantee that a dispute will never arise, clearly recording your wishes can reduce uncertainty and make it much easier for your family to understand what you intended.

A Will is particularly important when you own property because it allows you to plan what should happen to your interest in that property, although the precise position can also depend on how it is legally owned.

You can still make a Will, but overseas assets can introduce additional legal and tax considerations, so they should be identified when your estate planning is being considered.

A properly considered Will can form an important part of estate and Inheritance Tax planning, particularly where you have property, significant assets or particular wishes about how your estate should pass.

Your Will needs to comply with the legal requirements applying in England and Wales, including requirements around signing and witnessing, which is why getting the document prepared and executed correctly matters.

The best time is generally while you are able to calmly consider what you want, rather than leaving your family without clear instructions if something unexpected happens.