When should you review your Will? Chiltern Wills LLP

A practical guide from a Buckinghamshire will-writing solicitor

When should you review your Will? Many people make a Will and then put it away in a drawer, assuming the job is done. In reality, a Will should be reviewed periodically to ensure it still reflects your wishes and the current legal and tax landscape.

At Chiltern Wills, we regularly see clients whose Wills are perfectly valid but no longer achieve what they originally intended. A short review meeting can often prevent problems for families later.

How Often Should You Review Your Will?

As a general rule, it is sensible to review your Will every three to five years. Even if your wishes have not changed, tax rules and family circumstances often do.

A Will review does not necessarily mean rewriting the document. In many cases, a solicitor can confirm that your existing Will is still appropriate.

Life Events That Should Trigger a Will Review

Certain life events mean it is particularly important to review your Will.

Marriage or Civil Partnership

Marriage automatically revokes an existing Will unless the Will was specifically written in contemplation of that marriage. Many people are unaware of this rule, and it is currently being reviewed.

Divorce

Divorce does not invalidate a Will entirely, but it invalidates any provisions relating to your former spouse, and is read as if they had died before you. This can sometimes create unintended gaps in the document.

Birth of Children or Grandchildren

Many parents want to add guardianship provisions or ensure assets are held appropriately for young beneficiaries.

Changes in Assets

If you have:

Bought or sold property
Started a business
Received an inheritance
Built up pension assets

your Will may need adjusting to reflect your current estate.

Changes in Tax Rules

Inheritance Tax rules change periodically, and older Wills may not take advantage of current allowances.

Why Older Wills Can Cause Problems

We occasionally see Wills that were drafted many years ago which:

Refer to assets that no longer exist
Use outdated tax planning structures
Appoint executors who are no longer suitable
Do not reflect modern family arrangements

While the Will may still be legally valid, it may not work in the way the person originally intended.

Our Will Review Service

At Chiltern Wills, we offer a Will review meeting for existing clients, where we look at your current document, prepared by us, and discuss whether any updates are advisable.

This is particularly useful if:

Your Will was written several years ago
Your family circumstances have changed
You want reassurance that everything is still in order

Where changes are required, we can explain the options clearly and advise whether a new Will is needed. We do not offer a review service for documents drafted by other practices or by clients themselves, however.