Who it's for
- Married couples and civil partners starting their estate planning
- Couples thinking about inheritance tax and the April 2027 pension changes
- People deciding between a joint will and mirror wills
What's included
- About this guide — joint wills, mutual wills and why mirror wills are recommended
- IHT planning for married couples table: transferable nil rate band, residence nil rate band, annual gifts, the 7-year rule, business and agricultural relief, pensions and charitable giving
- Probate process table: registering the death, notifying organisations, valuing the estate, paying IHT, applying for the grant and distributing
- Key drafting points for married couples' wills (survivorship, executors, trusts for children, digital assets, pension nominations, reviews)
Please note: this is a guide with drafting points, not a will. For the will documents themselves, use the Mirror Wills Pack.
Save with a bundle: get this plus 9 more documents in the Wills and Legal Bundle for £49.99.
See what's in the bundle →Key points covered
- A joint will can create binding mutual-will obligations — two mirror wills keep each spouse free to change theirs
- Unused nil rate band and residence nil rate band can pass to the surviving spouse
- From April 2027 most unused pensions are expected to count towards the estate for IHT — review nominations
- Leaving 10% or more of the net estate to charity can reduce the IHT rate to 36%
- Pension nominations sit outside the will — keep them up to date
DocPilot templates are drafted from current legislation and official guidance (GOV.UK, legislation.gov.uk and the relevant regulators), checked against those sources and fully re-reviewed every six months. They are not legal advice. How we make our documents →
Read the guide
Related documents
Mirror Wills Pack£24.99 · See what's included →Letter of Wishes£9.99 · See what's included →Deed of Variation£19.99 · See what's included →
Questions
Does this include a will?
No. It is a guide with drafting points. The Mirror Wills Pack contains the two will templates.
Should we make a joint will?
Usually not. The guide explains why mirror wills — two separate, matching wills — are the standard approach.
Does it cover the 2027 pension change?
Yes. It flags reviewing pension nominations before unused pensions are expected to count towards the estate from April 2027.
Is it in the Wills and Legal Bundle?
Yes. The Estate Planning Guide for Married Couples is one of the documents in the bundle.
Estate Planning Guide for Couples
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