Most Wills Aren’t Good Enough
Let’s say you’re married, with three children. You’ve built a good life. You’ve worked hard. You’ve got some savings, maybe a property or two, perhaps even a business.
And like many, your will says:
“Everything to each other, then to the kids.”
It feels sensible. It feels fair.
But the truth is—this kind of will often causes more problems than it solves.
The Remarriage Risk
Your spouse survives you. They inherit everything. Years later, they remarry—let’s call him James the bartender. Lovely chap. But now your assets, your family home, your investments… are no longer guaranteed to pass to your children. They could end up with James or his family instead.
Three Children, Three Realities
Child 1 is flying high. Successful, financially comfortable. They don’t need the inheritance—and would rather pass it straight to their children. But doing that without the right will triggers a second layer of inheritance tax. Unnecessary and avoidable.
Child 2 is in the middle of a messy divorce—or dealing with bankruptcy. If they receive a direct inheritance now, it could be lost to an ex-partner or a trustee in bankruptcy.
Child 3 struggles with money. They’ll spend the inheritance quickly and be left with nothing. A trust could have released income gradually, protected capital, and ensured support for the long term.
That’s Why Average Wills Don’t Cut It
The standard “all to spouse, then split between kids” model doesn’t handle real-life complexity. It can:
• Unintentionally disinherit your children
• Expose your estate to unnecessary tax
• Leave money vulnerable to divorce, debt or poor decisions
• Delay probate and add stress during an already painful time
• Appoint the wrong executors
• Fail to protect vulnerable family members
• Leave no provision for stepchildren, close friends or causes you care about
Worse still—if you haven’t written a will at all, the government decides who gets what under intestacy rules. That almost never reflects your actual wishes.