Across Essex and the rest of the UK, plenty of couples will be making the most of the summer season to officially tie the knot.

While you might not be able to control the weather on the big day or who embarrasses themselves on the dance floor, you should know that your Will is impacted by getting married.

To protect your family’s future, you should be considering how to update your Will when you get back from your honeymoon.

How does getting married affect Wills?

Getting married or entering a civil partnership automatically invalidates any Will that exists for both parties.

This leaves you and your spouse at the mercy of the rules of intestacy.

The rules of intestacy will favour your new spouse but could leave your other relatives and loved ones at risk of missing out on inheritance.

Under the rules of intestacy, the first £322,000 of the estate automatically goes to your spouse and the remaining half is divided between your spouse and any biological or adopted children you have.

If you have no biological or adopted children, the entire estate passes to your spouse.

Do I need to update my Will after getting married?

While you might find the idea that your spouse is set to receive most, if not all, of your estate romantic, it is advisable to create a new Will once you have tied the knot.

This should be done alongside the general life admin that comes with a new marriage or civil partnership, but is more complex than updating a surname on a passport or opening a joint bank account.

A good Will should outline how you want your assets to be split among your beneficiaries and include contingency clauses in the event that something should happen to a proposed beneficiary prior to your death.

Provisions for any children or dependents you have need to be included in the Will to ensure that they are looked after when you are gone and not subject to unnecessary stress.

If you have step-children, these are not covered by the rules of intestacy unless you have formally adopted them.

As such, they will need to be addressed directly in your Will to avoid missing out on the inheritance you would want them to have.

For many couples, a mirror Will proves an effective way of approaching the issue after getting married or entering a civil partnership.

Mirror Wills are designed to reflect the wishes of two spouses in similar documents that ensure the main decisions align.

This is helpful for decisions regarding property and dependents, as these can be challenging to resolve if different wishes are expressed.

Mirror Wills tend to be a more cost-effective option compared to writing two Wills separately, making them ideal for a couple getting started in their new life together.

At Palmers Solicitors, our team are on hand to provide Will writing services that suit your situation.

Getting expert support with a Will prevents things getting overlooked and can reduce the risk of inheritance disputes creating rifts among those who are left behind.

We can create standard Wills and Mirror Wills, depending on what you need. Get in touch with our team to make sure that your legacy is protected as your married life begins.