Secure Your Legacy with CJCH Solicitors

March is more than the start of spring, it’s an important time to focus on your future and the legacy you’ll leave behind. With Wills Month returning this March, there’s never been a better moment to create or update your Will, establish Lasting Powers of Attorney, and consider the impact you can make through charitable giving.

At CJCH Solicitors, our experienced Private Client team across Cardiff, Barry, Bridgend, Blackwood, Caerphilly, and Swansea are  here to guide you through every step of estate planning. Whether you’re making your first Will or reviewing an existing one, we combine technical legal excellence with compassionate client care to ensure your wishes are honoured.

Why March Matters for Your Will

Every March, we offer people aged 55 and over the opportunity to have a simple Will written by our team. The campaign runs throughout March, providing a valuable chance to put your affairs in order without significant upfront costs.

Importantly, selecting a charity doesn’t oblige you to leave them a gift but it does offer an opportunity to consider how your legacy could support causes you care about. Many people find comfort in knowing their estate will not only provide for loved ones but also contribute to charitable work that matters to them.

Making or updating your Will during March ensures that:

• Your assets are distributed according to your wishes
• Your loved ones have clear guidance during a difficult time
• You avoid the complications and costs of dying intestate
• You can consider charitable giving as part of your legacy

What Happens If I Die Without a Will in Wales?

Dying without a Will known as dying “intestate” means the law, not you, decides who inherits your estate. The rules of intestacy in England and Wales follow a strict order of priority that may not reflect your personal wishes.

If you die intestate in Wales, the distribution of your estate depends on your surviving relatives:

If you have a surviving spouse or civil partner and children: Your spouse receives all personal chattels (movable property) and a statutory legacy of £322,000, including interest from the date of death. Any remaining estate is divided equally 50% to your spouse and 50% shared among your children.

If you have a surviving spouse or civil partner but no children: Your spouse inherits the entire estate.

If you have no spouse or civil partner: Your estate passes to your children. If a child has died before you, their children (your grandchildren) inherit their parent’s share.

If you have no children: The estate passes in order to your parents, then siblings of the whole blood (sharing both parents), then half-siblings, grandparents, and finally aunts and uncles.

Crucially, the intestacy rules exclude cohabitants—often called “common law spouses”—entirely. Without a Will, your unmarried partner receives nothing, regardless of how long you’ve been together. The rules also don’t account for step-children, foster children, or friends you may have wished to benefit.

By making a Will, you take control of these decisions and ensure your estate goes to the people and causes you care about most.

For more information about probate and estate administration, read our guide on coping with loss and understanding probate.

Steps to Update a Will After Getting Married

Marriage is a joyous occasion, but it has significant legal implications for your Will. In England and Wales, marriage automatically revokes any Will you made before your wedding day—unless the Will was made “in contemplation of marriage” to that specific person and states that it should remain valid.

This means that if you marry without updating your Will, you effectively have no Will at all. If you were to die, your estate would be distributed according to intestacy rules, which may not reflect your wishes.

Here’s how to update your Will after marriage:

1. Review your existing Will immediately: Check whether your Will contains a clause stating it was made in contemplation of your marriage to your spouse. If it doesn’t, the Will is automatically invalid.
2. Consider your new circumstances: Marriage often brings changes to your financial situation, property ownership, and dependents. Think about how you want your assets distributed now that you’re married.
3. Make an appointment with a solicitor: Our Private Client team at CJCH Solicitors can help you draft a new Will that reflects your current wishes and ensures your spouse or desired beneficiaries are provided for according to your intentions.
4. Include your spouse as executor or beneficiary: Most married couples choose to name their spouse as the primary beneficiary and often as an executor, though you’re not obliged to do so.
5. Review jointly owned property: Understand how your property is owned as “joint tenants” or “tenants in common”, as this affects how it passes on death.
6. Update regularly: Major life events like marriage, divorce, having children, or acquiring significant assets should always trigger a Will review.

Don’t assume your spouse will automatically inherit everything. Without a Will, intestacy rules dictate the distribution, which may not align with your wishes, especially if you have children from a previous relationship.

How to Check If a Will Has Been Registered with the UK Probate Service

Many people wonder whether a Will has been “registered” with the probate service. It’s important to understand the distinction between Will registration and probate records.

Will registration is not compulsory in the UK. Some people choose to register their Will with services like the National Will Register, a voluntary database where solicitors and Will writers can record the existence and location of Wills they’ve prepared. If someone registered their Will, you can search the National Will Register to find out where it’s held. However, since registration is optional, not all Wills appear on this database.

Probate records are different. These only exist after someone has died and a Grant of Probate (or Grant of Representation) has been applied for and issued. The probate service doesn’t “register” Wills before death—it processes applications for the legal authority to administer an estate after death.

To check if a Will exists or has been registered:

1. Search the National Will Register: If you believe a Will may have been registered during the person’s lifetime, you can conduct a Will Register Search from  £65 (inc VAT). This checks over 10.5 million records to see if a Will was registered with participating solicitors or Will writers.
2. Contact the person’s solicitor: If you know which solicitor firm the deceased used, contact them directly. They may hold the original Will in safe custody.
3. Search probate records after death: Once someone has died, you can search for a probate record using the GOV.UK probate search service. This service allows you to check if probate has been issued and order a copy of the Grant and Will (if one exists) for £16. New probate records appear online approximately 14 days after probate has been granted.
4. Check the deceased’s home: Look for a Will among the deceased’s personal papers, in a safe, or with important documents. Many people keep their Will at home.
5. Place a standing search: If someone has recently died and probate hasn’t yet been granted, you can place a “standing search” for £3 using form PA1S. This means you’ll be notified if a Grant is issued in the next six months.

Remember, finding the most up-to-date Will is crucial. If a later Will exists, it supersedes any earlier versions. Conducting a thorough Will search protects Personal Representatives from liability if a later Will comes to light after the estate has been distributed.

Lasting Powers of Attorney: Planning for the Future

While Wills address what happens after you die, Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs) are equally important for planning what happens if you lose the capacity to make decisions during your lifetime.

An LPA is a legal document that allows you to appoint one or more people (your “attorneys”) to make decisions on your behalf if you become unable to do so. There are two types:

Property and Financial Affairs LPA: This allows your attorney to make decisions about paying bills, managing your bank accounts, collecting benefits, selling your house, and handling other financial matters.

Health and Welfare LPA: This allows your attorney to make decisions about your medical treatment, care arrangements, medication, and where you live.

The benefits of making an LPA include:

• Control: You choose who will make decisions for you and how they should make them
• Avoiding Court of Protection: Without an LPA, your family may need to apply to the Court of Protection to make decisions on your behalf—a more complex, expensive, and time-consuming process
• Peace of mind: Knowing that someone you trust will manage your affairs if you can’t

March is the perfect time to set up both a Will and LPAs, ensuring comprehensive protection for your future and your loved ones.

Learn more about our Private Client Services, including Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney, and Estate Administration.

Charitable Giving: Leave a Lasting Impact

As you consider your Will this March, you may also want to think about including a charitable gift. Leaving a legacy to charity costs you nothing now but can make a profound difference for years to come.

Charitable gifts in Wills fund vital research, support vulnerable people, protect the environment, and advance causes you care about. Many charities rely on legacy income to continue their work, and even modest gifts can have a significant impact.

Tax benefits of charitable giving

Gifts to registered charities are exempt from Inheritance Tax. If you leave at least 10% of your net estate to charity, the Inheritance Tax rate on the rest of your estate reduces from 40% to 36%. This means charitable giving can benefit both your chosen causes and your family.

How to include a charity in your Will

You can leave a charity:

• A specific sum of money (a “pecuniary legacy”)
• A particular item, such as property or shares (a “specific legacy”)
• A percentage of your estate (a “residuary legacy”)

Sometimes people choose to provide for family and friends first, then leave a residuary gift whatever remains to charity. Our solicitors can help you structure your Will to achieve your wishes while maximising tax efficiency.

Selecting your charities

Wills Month partners with numerous well-respected charities, but you’re not obliged to choose from that list. You can leave a gift to any registered charity that matters to you, whether it’s a national organisation or a local cause.

Why Choose CJCH Solicitors?

At CJCH Solicitors, our Private Client team has decades of experience helping clients across Wales with Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney, probate, and estate planning.

We offer:

• Expert guidance: Our solicitors specialise in estate planning and stay current with changes in legislation
• Personalised service: We take the time to understand your unique circumstances and wishes
• Compassionate care: We handle sensitive matters with professionalism and empathy
• Excellent reputation: With our 4.8-star Trustpilot rating based on 208 reviews, you can trust us to deliver quality service
• Convenient locations: We serve clients across Cardiff, Barry, Bridgend, Blackwood, Caerphilly, and Swansea

Whether you need a simple Will, complex estate planning, or assistance with probate, our team provides clear, practical advice tailored to your needs.

Take Action This March

Don’t let another year pass without securing your legacy. This March, take the important step of making or updating your Will, establishing Lasting Powers of Attorney, and considering the charitable impact you can make.

Get in touch with us today and prioritise you and your family’s future in 2026. At CJCH Solicitors, our experienced Wills and Probate team helps clients across Cardiff, Barry, Bridgend, Blackwood, Caerphilly and Swansea.

For more information about our services, please visit our dedicated page: Private Client Services / Wills, Probate and Estate Administration. With our 4.8-star Trustpilot rating and decades of experience, we combine technical legal excellence with compassionate client care.

Contact us on 0333 231 6405 or email privateclients@cjch.co.uk to book your consultation.