Mirror or Joint Wills

To make a Joint or Mirror Will married couples must each complete this simple form.

Executors

Married couples normally appoint their spouse as their first choice.

Executors carry out the administration of your Estate and other instructions in your Will. Appoint people you can trust to carry out your wishes.

At least two executors should be appointed.

State their relationship to you, e.g. brother, sister, friend etc

Executors can also act as Trustees and they may be involved in long term management e.g. looking after money gifted to minor children.

To act as an executor you must have reached the age of majority (16 years in Scotland).

Guardians

Appoint guardians to look after minor children (16 years in Scotland).

State their relationship to you, e.g. brother, sister, friend etc.

A Guardian or Guardians should be appointed in the event of your death if you are single. Married couples must appoint Guardians in case both parents die simultaneously or in the event of the death of the surviving parent.

Guardians should be acceptable to yourself and your children and they are responsible for housing, clothing and education etc.

Children

If you have young children leave the child name boxes blank to allow for further children being born.

If however you do not expect to increase your family then name all your children in this section.

If the children in your family have come from more than one partnership it is necessary to name them.

Specific Gifts from your Estate

Please ensure that any instructions to carry out your wishes relating to gifts in this section are absolutely clear.

Consider: To whom are you gifting.

• Is the gift described sufficiently in order to recognise it at a later date?
• If the gift is an item that you change periodically e.g. a motor car, please state “My car as owned by me at the date of my death”

Achieved

• This expression appears in Legacies and Bequests and Beneficiaries. It relates to the age of a person. When making your Will you can choose an age that a person may receive a gift or an age to inherit by clicking on the appropriate button. If you click the Achieved button the age of the recipient is not disclosed. However, if you choose this button and the recipient is of minor years, the gift or their inheritance may be held in Trust until they reach the age of majority. (16 years in Scotland)

Financial Gifts from your Estate

Consider: To whom are you gifting.

If the gift is money and to a married person please tell us if it is to one person or to be divided between the couple. Is the gift £1000 each or £1000 in total.

If you are gifting shares please apply the above principal and list the share certificate numbers.

Residue of your Estate

Your Estate will pass to your spouse, then to your children, and grandchildren. You may also wish to name other beneficiaries here in the event of a disaster and all above beneficiaries fail to survive you. These beneficiaries will then be reserve beneficiaries.