Mirror Wills

A mirror will is simply a will drafted so that it broadly matches a partner's will. Married couples, civil partners and unmarried couples all use mirror wills, most commonly leaving their estate to each other on first death, and then to a shared set of beneficiaries, usually their children, if the second person also dies.

Despite the matching content, each document is a separate legal will belonging to one person. This matters because it means each person retains the freedom to make a new will of their own later, for example if their circumstances or wishes change, without needing the other person's agreement.

Mutual wills sound similar but work very differently. They are made under an agreement, express or implied, that neither party will change their will after the first person dies, and English law can enforce that agreement against the estate of the survivor, even years later and even if the survivor's circumstances have changed dramatically in the meantime.

Because mutual wills can be so inflexible and can produce unfair or unexpected results, for example if the survivor remarries or their assets change significantly, they are rarely used and should only be considered with full independent legal advice. Most couples who want matching wills should use mirror wills instead, which give the same starting point without permanently tying the survivor's hands.

Mirror wills work well where a couple has broadly aligned wishes, typically leaving everything to each other and then to shared children in equal shares. They are efficient because both wills can usually be prepared together at the same time and often at a reduced combined cost compared with two entirely separate wills.

Mirror wills are less suitable, or need to be adapted carefully, where a couple has a blended family with children from previous relationships, where one partner has significantly different wishes about who should benefit, or where there are business assets, foreign property or a likely dependant's claim to plan around. In those situations, tailored individual wills, sometimes with trust structures, are usually a better fit.

Make sure both wills are actually signed, dated and witnessed correctly and separately; a mirror will has no special legal status of its own and must meet the same formal requirements as any other will under the Wills Act 1837. Keep in mind that because they are separate documents, one partner changing their will later does not automatically update the other's.

It is also worth agreeing what should happen if you separate or if one of you wants to change your will substantially in future, and to review both wills together whenever your circumstances change, such as having children, buying a home, or a change in the relationship.

At My Posh Will, a single will costs £69 and mirror wills for a couple cost £89 in total, reflecting the efficiency of preparing two aligned wills together. This suits couples with straightforward wishes; those with more complex family or financial situations should consider a solicitor instead.

Whichever route you use, make sure both documents are stored safely and that your executors know where to find them when the time comes.