Mutual wills between partners

Many couples want to provide for each other first, and only then for the children. A mutual will lets you do this in an orderly way: each partner leaves their estate to the other, and together they decide what happens after both have passed away.

How it differs from an ordinary will

A mutual will is made by both partners, and its provisions depend on each other. That's why the law sets special rules for revoking it, to protect the partner who relied on the shared arrangement.

• While both are alive, a partner who wants to revoke must notify the other
• After one partner dies, revocation is limited and affects what was inherited
• The will itself can set other arrangements, within the law

Who it suits

A mutual will suits couples who want to secure each other and plan their children's future together. In a second relationship, with children from previous ones, careful drafting matters even more, so every child receives what you intended.