What three decisions does a will settle for your children?
Who raises them if they are under 18, who looks after the money, and when they receive it — outright at 18, or held in trust until 21 or 25. Without a will, a court picks the guardian and children inherit at 18 whatever the amount. Skip an online will if you also have a new partner and children from a previous relationship.
- Who raises them — guardians, if you die while they are under 18.
- Who looks after the money — your executors and trustees.
- When they receive it — outright at 18, or held in trust until 21 or 25.
How do you name guardians in a will?
A guardian takes parental responsibility if you die while they are under 18 and no one else with parental responsibility survives you. Name one or two guardians plus substitutes. Always ask them first, and pick people whose location, school runs and values would genuinely work. See will for parents with young children.
Should children inherit at 18, 21 or 25?
Under intestacy, and under any will without age provisions, a child inherits outright at 18 — including the value of a home. With a will you can choose 18, 21 or 25. Until then the trustees can still use the money for maintenance, education and benefit. Most people choose 21 or 25 for larger sums.
What does per stirpes mean, and do you need it?
If a child of yours dies before you, per stirpes passes their share equally to their own children (your grandchildren). Without it, that share is divided among your other residuary beneficiaries — meaning that child's own children could receive nothing. In the SwiftWill interview it is a single checkbox next to any beneficiary who is your child.
When is an online will the wrong tool for parents?
Children from a previous relationship plus a current partner usually need a life-interest trust — a solicitor. A disabled or vulnerable child who may never manage money needs a vulnerable-beneficiary trust — a solicitor. Stepchildren you want to provide for can be named in an online will; they inherit nothing under intestacy unless adopted.
- Children from a previous relationship plus a current partner — see second marriage with children.
- A disabled or vulnerable child — individual trust drafting.
- Stepchildren you want to provide for — name them in a will; stepchildren do not inherit on intestacy.
Our 60-second suitability check screens for the first two automatically. For everything else, guardians, minor-trust and per stirpes options are built in — £35, about 15 minutes. The general walkthrough is how to make a will in the UK.