Estate Planning for Blended Families

Second marriages and stepfamilies are one of Britain's most common family shapes — and one of the worst served by standard wills.

This guide explains sideways disinheritance: how "everything to each other" wills quietly cut out children from a first marriage, with nobody behaving badly. It covers the marriage-revokes-your-will rule that catches remarrying parents, the life interest trust that protects both your partner and your children, the joint tenants detail everything hangs on, and the eight-question conversation to have before anyone drafts anything.

• Why mirror wills fail blended families — a worked example
• The life interest trust, in plain English
• Joint tenants vs tenants in common: the detail that decides it
• The conversation checklist for you and your partner

Instant PDF download. England & Wales only. Information, not legal advice — and if your situation needs a real conversation, every download includes an invitation to book a free chat with a Squiggle specialist.