Many people believe that once they’ve written a will, they can check it off the list and never look back. But here’s the truth: a will isn’t a one-time document. Life changes—and your will should change with it.
That’s why we’re here to walk you through real-life scenarios where updating your will isn’t just a good idea—it’s essential.
💔 You’ve gone through a divorce
Your ex might still be listed as a beneficiary if you haven’t updated your will.
Does this still reflect what you want?
Example: Jasmine divorced years ago but never changed her will.
When she passed, her assets went to someone she no longer intended to benefit—her ex-husband—because she hadn’t updated her will after the divorce.
💍 You’ve remarried
Remarriage revokes your old will.
You’ll need to write a new one to reflect your current intentions and take care of the people you truly care about.
💑 Unmarried Couples
The Distribution Act 1958 does not recognize cohabiting or long-term partners who are not legally married.
Even if the couple has lived together for decades, the surviving partner has no right to inherit.
Assets will be distributed to legal heirs only—typically spouse, children, and parents.
👨👩👧 Your kids are now adults
They can now act as executors or guardians, replacing third parties.
For example: The will was written many years ago when the children were still young, so siblings were appointed as executors to act on their behalf.
Now that the children have reached the age of majority, it’s a good time to consider rewriting the will and appointing them as executors themselves.
Sometimes, executors delay handling the estate—especially if they’re not one of the beneficiaries. Worse still, the executor might have passed away, and no backup was named.
I’m sure these aren’t the kind of situations you’d want your loved ones to face. That’s why it’s so important to keep your will updated and well thought out.
🕊️ A beneficiary has passed away
You’ll need to name someone else or add backup beneficiaries.
Many DIY Wills do not clearly address what happens if a named beneficiary dies before the testator. If no backup beneficiary is named, the gift may fail (known as a lapsed gift). In such cases, the asset may fall under the residuary clause, if one exists.
That’s why it’s important to rewrite your will—to make sure it still reflects your true intentions.
👉 Stay tuned for our upcoming articles, where we’ll explore the consequences of having a Will without a residuary clause.
You may make an appointment with our legal advisor-Chelsia here: https://calendly.com/finex-and-co-legacy-advisory/tea-talk-with-legal-expert
