Two wills? Possible?

steve_king_3

Is it possible to have two wills and for them both to be valid? I have property to leave to someone and it's all listed in a will. However, I have property I'd like to leave to someone else, but I'd like neither party to know until after I'm gone.


If it can't be done with two separate wills, how can it be accomplished?


Thoughts?

glentoran99

Why cant they both be in the same will?

steve_king_3

Because if either beneficiary saw it they'd kick up a fuss.

PasturesNew

They won't see the will until you've gone, unless you give it to them.

They can still kick up a fuss afterwards too .... and then "waste" money suing each other.

steve_king_3

So...two questions:


Firstly, can *anyone* apply to see a copy of my will before I'm gone?


Secondly, if I had a new one drawn up the existing one is automatically nullified? I don't need to track down copies of the existing one and get rid?

Keep_pedalling

No one can see you will unless you leave it lying around.

Yes, a new will will invalidate a previous one unless you make a pigs ear if it and draw up in invalid one.

Get you new will sorted and do it properly with a solicitor.

Keep_pedalling

Also think carefully about leaving specific assets to individuals, it is often better to leave a portion of your estate to individuals to take into account of possible changes in your asset ownership later in life.

If for example you had to sell one of these properties to fund something like care, then one bequest would fail while the other is met.

securityguy

steve_king wrote: »

So...two questions:


Firstly, can *anyone* apply to see a copy of my will before I'm gone?

No. No-one can "apply" (to whom do you think they would apply?) for a private document.

A sealed envelope in your solicitor's safe, or your own safe, is a perfectly valid will. Obviously, your executors need to somehow obtain it, but you can give them sealed copies.

Wills become public documents once they are admitted to probate, but are entirely private before then.

Brighty

As above, write one will, leave it with your solicitor. Tell your family,friends,executors where it is. They will only be able to get access to it on your death, by giving the solicitor your death cert, and ID to prove they are the named executor, or a beneficiary if all executors and deceased or renounce.

There is no central database for wills before death, a new will does not 'automatically' nullify an old will. If you write a will and leave it with solicitor 'A', then tell all your friends, family, executors where it is. Years later, you write a new will, leave it with solicitor 'B', but tell no one about it. Even though the new will theoretically nullifies the first, if no one knows it exists, your executor could easily get hold of will A, assume it is valid and act on it, the existence of the new will may never ever come to light.

Flugelhorn

your executor will have to know about all the property as inheritance tax will be based on the total estate

Keep_pedalling

Flugelhorn wrote: »

your executor will have to know about all the property as inheritance tax will be based on the total estate

Not before the OP dies.