Under current legislation, if you have prepared a Will and then subsequently get married, or enter a civil partnership then this automatically revokes (cancels) your existing Will.
There is an exception if the Will is drafted in contemplation of an upcoming marriage/civil partnership. For this exception to apply, it must be clear in your Will that it is being prepared in contemplation of your marriage/civil partnership and should name that person that you are marrying/entering into a civil partnership with.
What happens if the Will is revoked?
If your Will is revoked and you die without preparing a new one, you would be considered as dying without a valid Will which is known as ‘intestate’. In this case, the Rules of Intestacy would then apply.
If you have married or entered into a civil partnership and have not reviewed the contents of an existing Will, you should do this to ensure that your wishes are followed on your death.
Our expert solicitors at Johnson Astills understand that circumstances can change from time to time, they can review your Will with you to ensure that it reflects your wishes.
If you wish to prepare a Will, are considering making any changes or you simply wish to review your existing Will, please contact our expert solicitors at Johnson Astills who would be pleased to assist you with this. You can call us at our office in Leicester or our office in Loughborough. Alternatively, you may prefer to email us at legal@johnsonastills.com or fill in our enquiry form.
