When should I make a will and have an estate plan?

Planning ahead can feel daunting, but making a will is often simpler (and more important) than most people realise.

Here, we answer the key questions many clients ask:

• Should I make a will, and if so, when?
• Do I need a will if I’m young, single or child-free?
• Is it legally required?
• What really happens if I don’t have one?

Wills aren’t just for later life; they provide clarity, control and peace of mind. We also look at what can happen if someone dies without a will, and why that can lead to unintended outcomes.

You’ll also find practical steps to get started and see how good estate planning can protect loved ones and reduce stress.

Key takeaways:

A will helps ensure your money, property and possessions go to the people and causes you choose

You don’t need to be older, wealthy or married to benefit from a will

If you have children, a will lets you choose guardians, giving you peace of mind

A will protects loved ones, avoids stress and gives you control

Why does having a will and estate plan matter?

Most of us know we should make a will at some point, but it’s easy to put off. Life is busy and estate planning can feel complicated. In reality, having a will and an estate plan is one of the most effective ways to ensure the people and causes you care about are protected. 
 
A will is a legal document that sets out what should happen to your money, property and personal belongings after you die. An estate plan goes further: it brings together your will, any lifetime arrangements (such as powers of attorney) and your wider wishes for how your affairs should be managed, both now and in the future. Think of it as a roadmap that helps keep everything clear, organised and as stress-free as possible for those you leave behind. 
 
If you have business interests, such as shares in a company, a partnership, or a family business, planning is especially important. It can help ensure ownership and control pass smoothly, reduce disruption for the people running the business, and make it clearer what should happen to your share of the value.
 
Many people assume a will is only needed later in life, or only if you’re married, have children or own significant assets. In reality, a will can be valuable at any age. If you own anything at all, have specific wishes, or would prefer to avoid the intestacy rules that apply when someone dies without a will, putting one in place is an important safeguard.
 
Most importantly, a will puts you in control. It removes uncertainty, reduces the risk of disputes and offers peace of mind, knowing that whatever the future holds, your wishes are recorded and can be followed.

When should you make a will?

There’s no perfect age to make a will. The right time is whenever you want to protect someone or something.

That said, these common milestones often prompt people to put a will in place:

• Buying a home or property
• Getting married or entering a civil partnership
• Having children
• Separating or divorcing
• Inheriting money or other assets
• Starting a business

A will isn’t a one-off task. Lives change, careers progress, relationships evolve and assets grow. Your will should adapt with you. 

The easiest way to think about it is: If you have assets, responsibilities, or clear wishes about who should inherit your property, you should have a will.

Do you need a will if you are young, single and don’t have children?

Absolutely and perhaps more than you might think. 

It’s easy to assume wills only matter once you hit certain milestones. But even early on, a will can protect the people you care about, make things simpler for those you leave behind, and give you control over who benefits from what you’ve built.

Young people

Even if you’re early in your career and feel you don’t "own much", you may have more to protect than you realise.
 
You may have savings, ISAs, a workplace pension or investments. Even modest assets benefit from clear instructions about who should receive them. 
 
Another growing part of modern estate planning is your digital life: social media accounts, photos stored in the cloud, email accounts and online financial services. Without clear instructions, it can be difficult for loved ones to deal with these accounts after you die, and some providers have strict policies about access. A will, alongside practical notes you keep updated, can help ensure the right people can manage your digital affairs.

Single individuals 

Being single can make a will even more important because your wishes may not be obvious to others. If you die without a will, the intestacy rules (explained further below) will decide who inherits based on family relationships rather than the people closest to you day to day.
 
In simple terms, these rules tend to prioritise relatives (for example, children and then other close family members) and don’t automatically provide for friends or unmarried partners.
 
A will lets you decide who should benefit, whether that’s a partner you aren’t married to, friends, wider family members or charities, and can make the process simpler for the people dealing with your affairs.

People without children

People without children may assume their estate will naturally pass to the "right" people, but the intestacy rules don’t always reflect personal relationships or modern family life. 

If you don’t have children, you may wish to leave your estate to:

• Nieces or nephews
• Friends
• A partner
• Specific charities 
  

Without a will, your estate may pass to relatives you rarely see, rather than the people (or causes) you would choose. A will lets you decide exactly who should inherit.
 
For many people without children, pets are a central part of their lives. As pets can’t inherit money directly, a will can:

• Name the person who should care for them
• Leave a gift to that person specifically to cover the pet’s care
• Create a simple trust to fund the pet’s needs
  

Without this, pets may end up with someone who can’t look after them or may need to be rehomed.

Benefits of having a will at any age

A will can offer a range of practical, financial and personal benefits, regardless of your age or stage of life.

Certainty and control

A will lets you choose who inherits, and in what shares or on what conditions. 

You can also plan for someone who may need extra support (for example, a young child or someone with additional needs), leave gifts to the people and causes you choose, and reduce the risk of unintended outcomes.

Reduced stress for loved ones

Clear instructions make administration of your estate faster and simpler.

Choosing trusted executors 

Executors are the people you choose to handle your estate after you die. In simple terms, they gather what you own, settle any bills and taxes, and then pass what’s left to the people you’ve named.

It’s a role of trust, so choosing the right person really matters.

Choosing guardians

If you have children, a will allows you to choose who you would want to act as their guardian if the worst happens, rather than leaving decisions to the court.

Funeral wishes

You can outline your preferences for burial or cremation, the type of service you’d like and any cultural or religious elements. While not legally binding, these wishes are rarely departed from and provide helpful guidance. 

Charitable gifts

A will is one of the main ways to leave a gift to charity after you die.

Flexibility

A common misconception is that once you’ve made a will, it lasts forever. In reality, it can (and should) be updated as life changes – new relationships, children, property or priorities.

What matters is having something sensible in place now, and keeping it under review.

What happens if you don’t have a will – is it a legal requirement?

If you die without a will, set rules decide who inherits your estate called the intestacy rules. These rules follow a strict family order and don’t always reflect modern relationships or make provision for step-families or unmarried partners so the outcome can be very different from what you’d want.

While having a will isn’t legally required, it’s the main way to stay in control of what happens to your assets.

How to start making a will

Getting started with a will is often much easier than people expect. You don’t need to have everything worked out in advance, and a solicitor can guide you through the steps and help ensure nothing important is missed.

The process usually involves thinking about:

• Identifying assets
• Considering who to appoint as executors and guardians of any infant children
• Deciding who should inherit and in what shares
• Thinking about any specific gifts or funeral wishes
• Ensuring the will is structured in the most tax-efficient way

While DIY wills are available, they can be risky if they miss key details or aren’t completed properly. Even small errors can cause delays and complications later on.

A professionally drafted will gives you confidence that your wishes are clear and can be followed.

Summary

Making a will is one of the most effective ways to protect the people and causes that matter to you.

A will can be useful at any age, and certain life events, such as buying a home, getting married, having children, or separating, often prompt people to put one in place.

It’s equally important to consider making a will when you are young, single or don’t have children, so that your wishes are clear and you don’t die intestate (without a will). If you die without a will, the outcome may not reflect what you would have wanted.

If you’d like help putting a will in place or reviewing an existing one, contact our private client team who are here to support you. 

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