One of the questions I am often asked is how frequently someone should change their Will.

The answer is that there really isn’t a set timetable.

In my experience, some people make a Will and, when we look at it again many years later, very little has changed. The people they want to benefit are the same, the executors are still appropriate and the Will continues to do exactly what they want it to do.

Others can find themselves making changes much more regularly.

That isn’t necessarily because the original Will was wrong. It is simply because life moves on.

Children and grandchildren arrive, relationships change, people marry or divorce, properties are bought and sold, financial circumstances alter and, sometimes, we simply change our minds about what we want to happen.

So perhaps the better question isn’t “How often should I change my Will?” but “How often should I check that my Will still does what I want it to do?”

Reviewing doesn’t necessarily mean changing

As a general guide, I think it is sensible to take another look at your Will every few years.

That doesn’t mean paying to have a new Will prepared every few years.

Sometimes a review takes no more than reading the existing document and thinking:

“Yes, I’m still happy with that.”

If so, there may be absolutely nothing more to do.

The important thing is not to leave a Will untouched for twenty or thirty years simply because you assume that, having made one, the job is permanently finished.

Life has a habit of changing

There are certain events that should probably prompt you to take your Will out and have another look.

Marriage, divorce or separation are obvious examples. So are the arrival of children or grandchildren and the death of someone you have named as an executor or beneficiary.

But changes don’t always have to be dramatic.

Perhaps one of your children has married and you now have grandchildren.

Maybe someone you originally appointed as an executor is getting older and you would prefer someone else to take on the responsibility.

You might have bought another property, sold a business or seen the value of your estate increase considerably.

Or perhaps your relationship with somebody named in the Will has simply changed.

Any of these could be a perfectly good reason to review what you have in place.

Marriage is particularly important

One event that deserves special mention is marriage or entering into a civil partnership.

In many circumstances, getting married or entering into a civil partnership will revoke an existing Will unless that Will was specifically prepared in contemplation of it.

That can potentially result in someone dying intestate despite having previously taken the time to make a Will.

So if you marry after making your Will, don’t simply assume that the old document still works.

Your family’s circumstances matter too

A good Will isn’t only about what is happening in your own life.

Sometimes it is changes in the lives of the people who are going to inherit that cause us to rethink things.

A child might be going through a divorce or experiencing financial difficulties.

One of your children may be financially secure while another could benefit from more support.

Grandchildren may have arrived since the Will was written.

You might also become concerned about leaving a large inheritance outright to somebody who is still relatively young or perhaps isn’t particularly good at managing money.

These situations don’t necessarily mean changing how much someone ultimately receives. Sometimes they simply lead to a discussion about how their inheritance should be left and whether some additional protection would be appropriate.

Your finances may have changed more than you realise

It is also worth remembering that a Will prepared when your financial affairs were relatively straightforward may not remain appropriate forever.

Property values can increase significantly over time. Investments and pensions may grow. You might inherit money yourself or sell a business.

Equally, you might spend capital during retirement, make substantial gifts to your family or sell assets that were specifically mentioned in an older Will.

A review of your Will can therefore also be an opportunity to step back and look at your wider estate planning.

Does the Will still distribute everything as you intended?

Are your executors still the right people?

Is Inheritance Tax now something that needs to be considered?

Would some form of trust provide useful protection for your family?

Sometimes the conclusion will be that everything is fine. At other times, relatively small changes can make the Will much more appropriate for your current circumstances.

Don’t make handwritten changes

One thing I would strongly discourage is simply altering the original Will yourself.

Crossing something out, writing a new name in the margin or attaching a handwritten note can create uncertainty over whether the Will remains valid and what you actually intended.

If something needs changing, it should be done properly, either through an appropriate codicil or, more commonly, by preparing a replacement Will.

When did you last read yours?

If you already have a Will, there is a very simple exercise you can do.

Take it out and read it.

Don’t worry initially about the legal terminology. Just look at the people named in it and the broad arrangements you made.

Then ask yourself:

“If I were making my Will today, would I still make the same decisions?”

If the answer is yes, that’s great. You may not need to do anything at all.

If the answer is no – or if you’re not entirely sure what the Will now means or whether it still works as intended – that’s probably a good indication that it is worth reviewing.

Some people will have the same Will for many years. Others will change theirs several times as their family and circumstances develop.

Neither approach is necessarily right or wrong.

What matters is that the Will you have today reflects the life, family and wishes you have today – rather than those you had when you originally signed it.

About Kevin Barrett

Kevin Barrett leads the estate planning service at Ad Valorem Estate Planning. A qualified accountant who ran his own practice until 2025, Kevin has many years’ experience helping individuals and families plan for the future.

He provides clear, practical advice on Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney, trusts, inheritance tax and wider estate planning, with a focus on helping clients protect their wealth, their wishes and the people who matter most.

(E) enquiries@advaloremgroup.uk (T) 01908 219100 (W) advaloremgroup.uk