May’s wedding of HRH Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s will be a high profile affair, with pictures beamed across the world and photographs appearing in newspapers and magazines for years to come.
Other couples planning their special day this month or later in the season should spare a thought for a more sombre day, as few realise that marriage and civil partnership automatically revokes a previously made Will.
Dying without a valid Will, i.e. intestate, means that the laws of intestacy dictate who gets what rather than you choosing who you want your assets to go to and who should be in charge of their distribution. Such situations place additional strain on those left behind as well as making matters more administratively burdensome.
When getting married there are clearly many things to sort out in advance: outfits, venues, flowers, cake… but making a Will in contemplation of marriage will avoid your wishes being inadvertently revoked when you sign the wedding register.
A Will in contemplation of marriage needs to state that it is such and that it is your intention for it to remain in place once you have married, name your intended future spouse and be prepared within a reasonable timeframe of the marriage.
That being said, it is important to note that where a civil partnership is converted to a marriage (with the same person) this conversion does not revoke any will that is in place.
For more information and advice, contact Lucy Cox, Solicitor at The Wilkes Partnership on 0121 733 8000.