{"id":2557,"date":"2022-11-09T10:13:13","date_gmt":"2022-11-09T10:13:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/family-matters.co.uk\/?p=2557"},"modified":"2022-11-09T10:13:13","modified_gmt":"2022-11-09T10:13:13","slug":"what-are-mirror-wills","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/family-matters.co.uk\/wills\/what-are-mirror-wills\/","title":{"rendered":"What Are Mirror Wills?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b>For initial advice about our will writing service,<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/family-matters.co.uk\/contacts\/\"><b> get in touch<\/b><\/a><b> today.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What Are Mirror Wills?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In England and Wales, mirror wills,or joint wills, are commonly made by married and unmarried couples that have very similar wishes about what they want written into their wills.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Married couples often write wills which are identical in their provisions, often leaving the estate to the surviving spouse or if the spouse does not survive to the children. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These wills are two separate legal documents owned and written by each party.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A simple example of what a couple with children could write into their mirror wills is that each person leaves everything to the other, and whoever dies last leaves everything to any shared children.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Should I Write A Mirror Will?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you and your partner <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/family-matters.co.uk\/uncategorized\/will-writing-and-the-family-home\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">own property<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and have children then mirror wills are something you should consider. If you are engaged, in a marriage or civil partnership and both of you agree where your assets should go when you pass away, definitely consider making mirror wills. If both partners want different things, you can both make individual wills.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mirror wills are almost identical legal documents, so if each of you has different wishes, it is better not to choose mirror wills. In this case, you would simply have two separate wills written, with each will specifying each person&#8217;s requirements.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Advantages Of Mirror Wills<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are many benefits to making mirror wills with your partner, for example:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Your partner inherits everything<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">; By making a mirror you&#8217;re ensuring the financial security of your partner if you pass away first. This is especially important if you\u2019re not married as they might not inherit your assets die to the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/family-matters.co.uk\/uncategorized\/what-happens-if-%E2%80%A6e-without-a-will\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">rules of intestacy<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>You\u2019ll be providing for your children<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">; If you and your partner have children, a mirror will ensure they <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/family-matters.co.uk\/uncategorized\/will-writing-and-the-family-home\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">inherit your estate<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> when you and your partner both pass away. You can also protect your children by appointing a guardian, should both you and your partner pass away before they reach the age of 18, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/family-matters.co.uk\/services\/will-trusts-and-family-trusts\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and a trustee<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to protect your estate until your children are old enough to inherit it. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/family-matters.co.uk\/services\/estate-planning\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">See here for more estate planning tips<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>You can name additional executors<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">; With a mirror will, your partner is usually the sole beneficiary as well as <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/family-matters.co.uk\/estate-planning\/what-are-the-wil%E2%80%A6ning-necessities\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the executor<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. However, that means that you can appoint additional executors, meaning that if you and your partner die at the same time, both your wishes can still be carried out.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>The Wills don\u2019t have to be identical<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">; Although a key feature of mirror wills is that both wills are the same, they can have some small differences. For example, additional executors may be desired or differing funeral arrangements.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>You can avoid inheritance tax<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. With <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/family-matters.co.uk\/services\/inheritance-tax\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">inheritance tax<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, assets left from one spouse to another are tax free. This benefit is then transferred to the surviving spouse. This means that when the second spouse dies, all their assets (including that which they\u2019ve inherited from their deceased spouse) can be passed on with twice the inheritance tax-free allowance.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>It can be revoked if circumstances change<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. If your relationship status changes, an additional executor dies, or you simply change your mind, you can change or revoke your will at any time. Read how to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/family-matters.co.uk\/estate-planning\/how-do-i-protect%E2%80%A6-second-marriage\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">protect your assets<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in a second marriage.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Disadvantages Of Mirror Wills<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mirror wills can be revoked by either person at any time without needing approval from the other. In many ways this is an advantage as it gives you both the flexibility to deal with changing circumstances. But it can also be a problem; <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You must be able to be sure that after your death your partner won\u2019t change their will and pass on your estate to people not of your choosing. Imagine them leaving your estate to a new partner, or new children. This may leave your chosen beneficiaries without the inheritance you intended.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You may also find the estate used for care home fees, should either party need to enter one. Even if you\u2019ve agreed to leave your children (or anyone else) your assets, they may not end up receiving the full dividends.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What If We Die At The Same Time?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When making a mirror will, or any other type of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/make-will\/writing-your-will\">will<\/a>, it&#8217;s important to consider and plan for all potential scenarios, including what should happen if you both die together.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/family-matters.co.uk\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Family Matters<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, our will writing specialists will discuss this eventuality with you. We can then ensure your mirror wills contain the correct clauses to accurately reflect what you would like to happen if you both die together.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">OurWill Writing Service<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you are considering Estate Planning or a Will writing service, our advisors are here to offer free Will writing advice. Contact us today for a no obligation consultation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Get started now; <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/family-matters.co.uk\/contacts\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">complete this form<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or give us a call on 0333 242 2845 or 0161 528 4200 and we will answer any queries.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once written you need to keep your Will safe and tamper proof. At Family Matters we provide secure Will storage for all of our clients.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For initial advice about our will writing service, get in touch today. What Are Mirror Wills? In England and Wales, mirror wills,or joint wills, are commonly made by married and unmarried couples that have very similar wishes about what they want written into their wills. Married couples often write wills which are identical in their provisions, often leaving the estate&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":990005,"featured_media":2559,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[65],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v20.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What Are Mirror Wills? - An Article On Will Writing | Family Matters<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"At Family Matters our mirror will writing service makes writing a will quick, easy and affordable. 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