A Single Will or Mirror Will, which is best for me?

Sorry all, i haven't created any new posts for the last couple of months however i'm now back on the case!

There seems to be some confusion between Single and Mirror (or Joint) Wills. So let me explain the difference between the two and in what circumstances a Single or Mirror Will should be chosen.

You should only choose to make a Single Will if you have no partner or if you wish to make a Will that has different provisions to those of your partner. So if you and your partner have different wishes (e.g. the husband wants to leave the car to the son and the wife wants to leave some jewelery to the daughter) you will each need to create a separate Single Will.

You should only choose to make a Mirror Will if you and your partner wish the terms of your Wills to be identical. For example upon one partners death all of their estate is passed to the surviving partner. This excludes any specific gifts detailed in the Will (e.g. a gift of money or specific item to a relative).

When making a Mirror Will two separate Wills are created, one for you and one for your partner.

I hope this helps to clear up any confusion. You can write your Wills online at onlinewill.co.uk.

Don't put off making a Will if you're single

Are you single? Then you should think about making a will to ensure that your belongings pass to the people that you want to benefit. Without a making a will your assets are likely to pass to your next of kin under the "Intestacy Rules". The Intestacy Rules provide an order of Beneficiaries starting with your parents and moving on to your brothers, sisters and remoter relatives.

People often think "I have nothing to leave so why bother making a will". Well remember you maybe an owner of a house and there may be a considerable amount of equity which you will want to pass to your nominated Beneficiaries. You may also subsequently acquire assets, so making a will is extremely important.

Wills are strict legal documents, which have to be signed and witnessed in a very specific way. The Wills Act requires that a Will is in writing and signed by the person making a will in the presence of two independent witnesses both of whom must be together (not a couple).

Any verbal changes to a Will are not valid and it is, therefore, very important that any changes to an existing Will are made by either creating a brand new Will or by Codicil.

So if you're single, making a will is a wise move to ensure your loved ones are provided for.