Both marriage and divorce will affect your will.
- When you marry or enter into a civil partnership, any will you may have made before then will usually no longer apply should you die.
- If you do not have a will, your property passes under the rules of intestacy when you die. Under these rules, your spouse or civil partner does not automatically take all of your assets.
- When you divorce, or when your civil partnership is dissolved, your former partner will no longer benefit under any previous will you may have made.
- If you are not married, your partner does not have an automatic claim to your assets unless you write a will in their favour.
We advise all our clients to consider making a will whenever there are any substantial changes in their circumstances, in particular upon separation.