If you do not make a will then your estate will be distributed according to the rules of intestacy. Remember that these rules do not recognise unmarried partners: if you’re not married or in a civil partnership, then your partner won’t receive anything from your estate (that isn’t jointly owned by them) unless this is specified in your will. You should review your will if your circumstances have changed: for example, marriage can invalidate an earlier will.

You can help your family by sharing your plans with them. You may even find that they suggest something different such as leaving a gift to a favoured charity. Setting up a Lasting Power of Attorney at the same time will ensure someone you know can deal with your affairs if you lose capacity.

Tip: plan while you are healthy

Even a person appointed under a Lasting Power of Attorney has very limited options to conduct estate planning on your behalf. So it’s doubly important to make sure that your planning is done while you are in good health.