Ownership of my house after my death

MovingForwards

manc_doc said:

Make a will in contemplation of getting married next year, assuming you know who your wife is going to be. House goes to wife, mortgage is paid off by death in service benefit (assuming wife-to-be is named in the expression of wishes and you are still working with the same company).

My understanding is that a marriage can invalidate a will, so would need updating after the wedding if done in anticipation. (I work in end of life care, often have patients doing both wills and wedding close together, always wills second)

As long as the will says it's made in contemplation of marriage, it's not invalidated when the wedding / marriage takes place usually done when a date is known or the marriage is done within a year. Lawyers do them all the time even when it's end of life.

zagubov

fryderykchopin said:

..........
If we get married and I die afterwards, does my wife become the new legal owner automatically and takes the mortgage debt from me, or should I make a will and put her name there so she can receive the house in inheritance?
I hope my question is clear enough. Any light on this would be appreciated.

The website below would be a good place to start as your situation could vary depending on whether you live in England and Wales or Scotland or Northern Ireland.
https://www.gov.uk/inherits-someone-dies-without-will
However, taking out life insurance and writing a will that you can amend if children arrive is very sensible.

TBagpuss

manc_doc said:

Make a will in contemplation of getting married next year, assuming you know who your wife is going to be. House goes to wife, mortgage is paid off by death in service benefit (assuming wife-to-be is named in the expression of wishes and you are still working with the same company).

My understanding is that a marriage can invalidate a will, so would need updating after the wedding if done in anticipation. (I work in end of life care, often have patients doing both wills and wedding close together, always wills second)

Yes. Marriage invalidates and previous will, unless the will is expressly made 'in contemplation of marriage' to a specific, named person.

OP, you need to make a will, to consider taking out life insurance to cover the mortgage, and once you are married, you can think about whether it makes sense to remortgage into joint names and put the house in both your names, perhaps whenever any current fix expires. If you own the house jointly it would automatically pass to your wife on your death, and to you on hers. (And once you are married, it is a matrimonial asset so she would have a claim on it if you got divorced, regardless of whether it is in your sole name or not)

fryderykchopin

Carl2510 said:

Am I the only one noticing he said he’s single and will marry next year thinking it’s that simple to find someone 🤣

I'm a handsome guy, I can find a wife anytime
Now seriously ... when I say I'm single I mean I'm not married yet, my legal marital status is single. I have been engaged to my fiancée for about a year now and we will get married next year (the date is already set).

ChewyyBacca

fryderykchopin said

I'm a handsome guy, I can find a wife anytime
Now seriously ... when I say I'm single I mean I'm not married yet, my legal marital status is single. I have been engaged to my fiancée for about a year now and we will get married next year (the date is already set).

Darn it! I was thinking of fixing you up with my friend, since you are handsome and house owner and all! 
Sorry Lucy, I will eventually find someone.
Fryderyk: If anything changes let me know, Lucy is on speedial 

fryderykchopin

dimbo61 said:

I would be very surprised if the mortgage lender did not recommended that you take out Life assurance to at least cover the mortgage.
If you do get married then Joint Level Term Life Assurance with guaranteed monthly single premiums would be a very good idea.
Maybe critical illness cover as well if you have children 

They did but I decided not to take their insurance because I am already covered by my pension scheme at work and my job is relatively stable (if there is such a thing nowadays). My loan is 1.6 times my current gross salary and if everything goes according to plan I should have enough money to pay off the mortgage in less than 2 years. I'm not too worried about the financial side, my concern was more about the legal aspects since I'm not entirely sure how the law works in UK (I wasn't born here) and what would happen to the ownership of the house.

Solenoid

Why are you thinking of dying even before marrying. You might divorce yet 😂