How Can I Update or Change My Will?

Life never stands still – and what might have been a perfect will five years ago could be out of date today.

Maybe you've had a new child, gotten married or divorced, acquired new assets, or changed your mind about something. Updating your will is absolutely possible and in fact recommended whenever major life events happen. Let's discuss how to change your will properly (so your changes are legally effective) and when you might want to do so.

When Should You Update Your Will?

Consider updating your will whenever there's a significant change in your life or intentions. For example:

Marriage or civil partnership

In England and Wales, if you marry (or register a civil partnership) after making a will, your will is generally revoked (cancelled) by that marriage unless it was made in contemplation of that marriage. So you definitely need a new will once you tie the knot (or even right before, stating it's in anticipation of the marriage) to ensure your new spouse is included and the will remains valid.

Divorce or separation

Divorce doesn't completely void a will, but it treats your ex-spouse as if they died before you for purposes of the will (they wouldn't inherit anything and wouldn't act as executor even if named). Still, after a divorce, you should update the will to remove or change any provisions for the ex and perhaps include new wishes. If you're just separated (not legally divorced), your existing will still treats them as spouse – you may want to change that if you no longer want them to inherit.

Having children (or more children/grandchildren)

If you become a parent, absolutely update your will to name guardians and include your child as a beneficiary. Many wills have generic phrasing like "to my children" which will cover future kids, but double-check. You want to be sure no one is accidentally left out or arrangements (like trusts) are set up appropriately. Same goes for grandchildren if you intend to leave something for them directly.

Changes in assets

If you've come into significant new assets (bought a house, started a business, received an inheritance) or sold major assets that were mentioned in the will, it's wise to review. For instance, if your will left "123 Oak Street house to my son" and you sold that house, that gift would fail. You might want to update to either give something else or adjust for your new house. Also, if your estate's value has grown, you might need to consider tax planning adjustments.

Death or changed circumstances of beneficiaries/executors

If someone you named in your will (beneficiary, executor, guardian) has passed away or perhaps fallen out of favor or become unsuitable, update the will. Similarly, if an executor or guardian's situation changes (they moved abroad, for example, or you no longer have a good relationship), you might pick someone else now.

Simply changed your mind

Maybe you initially planned to leave a sum to a friend or charity but now you want to give it to someone else. People's relationships evolve. Don't hesitate to change your will if your feelings or intentions have shifted about any bequest.

How to Change Your Will Properly

There are two main ways to change your will: making a Codicil or making a New Will.

Codicil (official alteration)

A codicil is basically an amendment or addition to your will. Farewill's Codicil Guide distinguishes between amending a will via a codicil for small changes versus replacing it entirely for larger updates. It's a separate document that, once signed and witnessed (with the same formalities as a will), becomes part of your will. You might use a codicil for small changes. For example, "I want to change the executor from Person A to Person B," or "I want to add a £1,000 gift to my nephew."

A codicil references the original will (by date) and states the changes. It must be signed and witnessed just like a will (two witnesses, etc.) to be valid. One advantage is you don't have to retype the entire will; you just note the changes. However, codicils can be risky if you have many of them – multiple documents can be confusing or get lost. Nowadays, with computers, it's often just as easy to make a fresh will for clarity, unless the change is very minor.

Make a New Will

Often the simplest way to ensure clarity is to make a completely new will that supersedes the old one. In the new will, you include a clause that says "I revoke all former wills and codicils", which is standard in will templates. This makes it clear that only the new will should be followed.

Making a new will is the best choice if you have multiple changes or a major overhaul. Given that writing a will isn't too hard, many people prefer this route to avoid any mix-ups. Just be sure to destroy any copies of the old will and clearly communicate (to your executors or family) that the old one is revoked. Only the latest will (by date, properly executed) will count.

Communicating Changes and Safe-keeping

When you update your will, destroy any old versions (you don't want confusion with multiple wills floating around). You can keep a copy of the old one for reference if you like, but mark it as revoked.

Make sure your executors or a trusted person know that you have a new will and where it's kept. If a beneficiary was significantly affected by the change (e.g., you removed someone from the will), you might consider communicating your reasons in a letter or at least ensuring your executor is aware of any sensitive changes, in case it comes up. This can help preempt disputes (for example, if you decided to cut a child out of the will, that child might contest – leaving a letter explaining your reasoning could be useful evidence of your intention).

Remember to also update related documents: for instance, if you referred to a letter of wishes or if you have life insurance or pension beneficiary forms, keep those consistent with your will changes.

Changes in the law

Changes in the law can be a reason to update your will. For example, if inheritance tax laws change or the intestacy threshold changes, etc. Typically, a will remains valid despite law changes, but how effective it is could be impacted. A quick consult with a solicitor when laws change (or at least paying attention to news if something like the inheritance tax regime is overhauled) is wise.

Quick Recap

If it's a small tweak, you can add a codicil (say, change of executor or adding a small bequest). For anything substantial, write a new will. And always follow the same signing and witnessing steps for codicils as you did for the original will – they carry the same legal formalities.

By keeping your will current, you'll ensure it does exactly what you intend, providing for your loved ones in the way you see fit, no matter how life's journey twists and turns.