The right Will for you tool

Are you married, in a civil partnership, or in a long-term relationship?

If you are separated and do not wish to include your spouse/civil partner in your Will, please answer ‘no’.

Do you have children?

Do you wish to provide ongoing protection for your children’s inheritance once they receive it to ensure it is spent responsibly and/or cannot be claimed by third parties?

Examples of a third party are:

a person or organisation who claims your child owes them money and that the money from your estate should be used to cover the debt; and

your child’s spouse/civil partner who claims part of your child’s inheritance in a divorce financial settlement.

Would you like to benefit any named charities in your Will or allow for flexibility in how your estate is distributed?

Flexibility means that your trustees can approve changes to how your estate is used if your original wishes cannot be met. For example, your chosen beneficiaries are deceased or your chosen charity no longer exists.

Do you wish to protect your beneficiaries’ inheritance from claims on divorce and bankruptcy?

Do you have children?

Is the combined value of your estate more than £650,000, excluding pensions? As a married couple without children, your tax allowances are usually limited to £650,000. If your estate is more than this we will offer solutions through your Wills to relieve the tax burden.

Would you like to ensure that the capital in your estate remains separate from your spouse’s/partner’s assets?

For example, you may wish to avoid your estate being used in calculations to determine how much support your surviving spouse/partner receives should they need to go into a care home.

Should you die first, do you want to guarantee that your estate passes to your chosen beneficiaries following the death of your spouse/partner?

For example, you may want to ensure that your chosen beneficiaries/your children will still benefit from your estate if your widow(er) remarries.

Should you die first, do you wish to put measures in place to ensure your spouse/partner benefits from your estate through receipt of regular income payments, rather than one lump sum?

Would you like to ensure that the capital in your estate remains separate from your spouse’s/partner’s assets?

For example, you may wish to avoid your estate being used in calculations to determine how much support your surviving spouse/partner receives should they need to go into a care home.

Should you die first, do you want to guarantee that your estate passes to your chosen beneficiaries following the death of your spouse/partner?

For example, you may want to ensure that your chosen beneficiaries/your children will still benefit from your estate if your widow(er) remarries.

Should you die first, do you wish to put measures in place to ensure your spouse/partner benefits from your estate through receipt of regular income payments, rather than one lump sum?

Is the combined value of your estate more than £1 million, excluding pensions? As a married couple with children, your tax allowances are usually limited to £1 million. If your estate is more than this we will offer solutions through your Wills to relieve the tax burden.

Do you wish to provide ongoing protection for your children’s inheritance once they receive it to ensure it is spent responsibly and/or cannot be claimed by third parties?

Examples of a third party are:

a person or organisation who claims your child owes them money and that the money from your estate should be used to cover the debt; and

your child’s spouse/civil partner who claims part of your child’s inheritance in a divorce financial settlement.

Would you like to ensure your children will still benefit from your estate if your surviving spouse/partner enters into a subsequent marriage/civil partnership? Or that the capital in your estate remains separate from your spouse’s/partner’s assets?

For example, you may wish to avoid your estate being used in calculations to determine how much support your surviving spouse/partner receives should they need to go into a care home.