16th September 2026
Life can change significantly over the course of a few years. Whether you’ve experienced a major milestone, reviewed your finances, or are simply taking stock of your future plans, now can be a good time to review your Will and ensure it still reflects your wishes, your family circumstances and your plans for the years ahead.
A Will is one of the most important legal documents you can put in place. However, it should not be viewed as something that is written once and then forgotten. As life changes, your Will may need to change too.
Tammy Draycott, Wills and Probate Solicitor at Myers & Co Solicitors, explains why regularly reviewing your Will is so important. Our experienced Wills & Probate team advises individuals and families on keeping their Wills up to date, helping to ensure their wishes remain clear, legally valid and reflective of their current circumstances.
Even if your personal circumstances have remained largely unchanged, many practitioners recommend reviewing your Will every few years and whenever significant life events occur, to ensure it continues to meet your needs.
There are also several life events that should prompt an immediate review, including:
Regular reviews can help ensure your Will continues to protect the people and causes that matter most to you. They also provide an opportunity to consider whether your estate planning remains effective from an inheritance tax perspective. Changes to inheritance tax rules, the value of your assets, or your personal circumstances may mean that arrangements which were appropriate when your Will was first drafted are no longer as effective today.
This is one of the most important issues people often overlook.
In England and Wales, marriage generally revokes an existing Will unless the Will was drafted in contemplation of marriage to a particular person and satisfies the relevant legal requirements.
This means that a Will which previously reflected your wishes may no longer be valid once you marry if it is not reviewed and updated.
For this reason, reviewing your Will following a marriage or civil partnership is essential to help ensure your estate will be distributed as intended.
The arrival of children or grandchildren often changes how people wish to provide for their loved ones.
Your Will allows you to specify who should inherit from your estate and, where appropriate, who you would appoint as guardian for children under the age of 18. Reviewing your Will after changes to your family circumstances can help ensure your wishes are clearly documented and that those closest to you are protected.
It can also provide an opportunity to consider the practicalities of how inheritances should be managed for younger beneficiaries.
Families, finances and priorities naturally evolve over time.
The executors named in your Will may no longer be the most suitable people to act on your behalf, your assets may have changed significantly, or the beneficiaries named in your Will may no longer reflect your current wishes.
As many people use autumn as a time to get organised and plan ahead, it can also be a useful opportunity to review not only the contents of your Will but also practical matters such as where it is stored and whether your loved ones know how to locate it when needed.
Many people have never discussed their wishes with family members or informed them where their Will is kept, which can create unnecessary stress and complications during an already difficult time.
We understand that making or reviewing a Will can feel like a task that is easy to put off.
However, taking the time to ensure your affairs are in order can provide valuable peace of mind for you and your loved ones.
At Myers & Co Solicitors, our experienced Wills & Probate team can advise on making a new Will, updating an existing Will, and ensuring your estate planning reflects your current circumstances and future wishes.To speak to a member of our team, give us a call, or make an enquiry to find out how we can help.
