Mirror wills - protecting children in case of remarriage

[Hisashiburi]

Hi all

I've been talking to DH about wills as we are specifying guardians.
We would like mirror wills to ensure that our children our looked after in case either one of us remarries and predeceases the next partner meaning that potentially our assets will be inherited down another family line and that our DC could potentially left without anything.

We will be engaging a solicitor soon but just wanted to know if anyone had any experience of this that they were willing to share.

Mirror wills won't prevent the survivor changing the will later.

You may need to discuss life interests and tenancy in common. Or mutual wills.

Thank you for your response. I think you're right. I'll book an appointment with a solicitor.
Obviously it is worse case scenario bit we've both spoken about what happens if anything should happen to either one of you to make sure our DC remain protected

Standard practice in step families is to include life interest trusts, which ring fence each spouse's share of the home for their respective children, whilst allowing the surviving spouse to live there for life or until remarriage. The trust is portable to allow for downsizing.

For the trust to take effect, the property must be held as tenants in common.

These trusts are a little more expensive than standard wills (I charge an extra £100 for the pair on top of the standard £250), but they're well worth considering to avoid any of the children being disinherited, with the litigation, or at least bad feeling, that frequently ensues.