Will Your Legacy Be a Family Feud or Harmony?

Recent headlines paint a worrying picture for families. According to a recent MoneyWeek article, legal challenges to Wills have surged by 61% in just five years.

The reasons are a perfect storm of modern life: increasingly complex family structures, longer life expectancies that raise capacity concerns, and rising property values that make the stakes higher than ever.

All too often, this results in a grieving family facing costly legal disputes and emotional turmoil. At April King, we have seen firsthand how an outdated or poorly drafted Will can leave a “big waving flag” on your estate, inviting a claim.

With over 30 years of experience advising clients, our aim is simple: harmony over discord.

Here’s how specialist advice can prevent your legacy from becoming a legal battle.

The “Ticking Time Bomb” of a Basic Will

Many people assume that any Will is better than no Will. Unfortunately, a “generalist” or DIY Will, perhaps drafted many years ago, is often not robust enough for the challenges of modern family life.

We regularly see clients whose previous Wills, drawn up by non-specialists, are dangerously exposed. This is especially true in cases involving:

Step-families: Divorce and second marriages are common, but standard Wills often fail to protect children from a previous relationship. We’ve seen grandchildren lose out entirely to new step-siblings.

Did you know that in England and Wales, remarriage automatically cancels an existing Will, potentially passing your entire estate to a new spouse and out of your bloodline?

Estranged Children: This is a heartbreaking and common issue. Simply ignoring an estranged child in your Will is not a solution; in fact, it could leave a “ticking time bomb” for the children you are close to. Defending the inevitable claim can be stressful, costly, and drag on for years, depleting the very inheritance you wanted to protect.

Vague Wishes: A simple Will might divide assets “equally,” but what if one child received significant financial help during your lifetime? What if you are leaving specific assets to different children? Without careful, specialist drafting, this is a common trigger for disputes.

When a Will is challenged, the legal battle can regularly run into the tens or even hundreds of thousands of pounds. This money to defend such claims often comes directly from the deceased’s estate, meaning the people you intended to benefit are the ones who pay—both financially and emotionally.

The Specialist Solution: Planning for “What If?”

Avoiding a dispute is not about using “tactics”; it’s about thorough, forward-thinking legal planning. As specialists, we reject the standard “Mirror Will” approach. Instead, we provide innovative solutions tailored to your unique family.

Our approach, developed over decades, helps safeguard your assets and family relationships:

Experience and Expertise: Our heads of department have over 100 years of combined experience. Our founder, Paul King TEP (Trust and Estate Practitioner), holds a full membership and qualification from STEP, the global regulatory body for trust and estate professionals. We know the pitfalls because we’ve seen them, and we know how to structure your Will to avoid them.

Bloodline Planning: We were one of the first firms to develop bloodline planning. This protection, included within an April Will®, helps safeguard your children’s inheritance from future divorce, financial difficulties, or remarriage —without tying their hands. Your child remains in control, but the protection is there if they need it.

Proactive Estrangement Strategies: We handle sensitive family dynamics with care. Rather than just disinheriting someone, we have developed a range of legal strategies to reduce, or even remove, the chances of a successful claim, protecting the inheritance of your other beneficiaries.

Get a Specialist Second Opinion—On Us

A Will is one of the most important documents you will ever sign. Don’t let your life’s work be undone by a document that wasn’t built to withstand the pressures of modern life.

If you have an existing Will prepared elsewhere, especially one that is more than a few years old or was drafted by a generalist firm/individual, we urge you to get a second opinion. Let us show you how exposed your hard-earned assets may be and, more importantly, how we can help. We offer a free, no-obligation review to discuss your situation in plain English, without jargon.

Get in touch with our friendly team today to schedule your review or to request our free legacy guide. Let our family help protect yours.

Disclaimer
The information provided in this article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or professional advice. No responsibility is accepted for any action taken or not taken based on the content of this article. Readers should seek appropriate professional advice tailored to their circumstances before making decisions. April King Legal will not be held liable for any loss or damage arising from reliance on this information.