Changing a Will

Contents
1. Changing your Will 2. Updating a Will 3. Cancelling a Will

Once a Will has been written, you may wish to change it for one of the following reasons:

• To update it
• To cancel it

You should consider updating your Will in the following circumstances:

• If your marital status changes
• If you sell anything that is left as a specific gift in your Will
• If you buy something and want to leave it as a specific gift in your Will
• If you adopt or have any more children
• If you move to live outside the UK (you are likely to need a totally new Will in your new country of residence)
• If the person you appointed as the guardian for your children needs to be changed
• If your executors need to be changed
• If you change your mind about the instructions contained in your Will

For more information about updating your Will see: Updating your Will.

You may cancel a Will in three ways:

• Making a subsequent Will containing a revocation clause or which contradicts the first Will
• By getting married or entering into a civil partnership, unless that Will was made in contemplation of that marriage/civil partnership and you stated that the Will was to continue to be valid after that marriage/civil partnership
• Physically destroying the Will

If it is the person's intention to cancel their existing Will, it is best to make the position absolutely clear in the new Will or codicil. A codicil is a document which alters the terms of an existing Will.

For more information on cancelling a Will see: Cancelling a Will.