It is common to hear “I am too young to prepare a will” or “I have nothing to leave behind.” Yet changes in family form, digital life, and asset ownership mean that making a will is often appropriate well before traditional retirement ages. This note explains the main reasons younger adults in England and Wales should consider preparing a will, the decisions it can record, and practical steps to take.

Why younger people should consider a will

Life events that commonly arise for young adults—parenting, marriage or civil partnership, cohabitation, property purchase with others, pension accumulation, and digital accounts—can all give rise to planning needs on death. A valid will allows you to:

• appoint guardians for any minor children;
• express funeral wishes and other personal directions;
• choose executors to administer your estate;
• direct specific gifts of sentimental items or cash;
• clarify distribution where intestacy rules might not reflect your wishes (for example, for unmarried partners or blended families).

Key decisions a will can record

A will is about more than money. Important elements to consider include:

• Guardianship: naming a guardian is the primary way to express who should care for minor children.
• Executors and trustees: choosing people you trust to carry out your instructions and, if necessary, manage trusts for minors.
• Specific and residual gifts: which items or sums go to named beneficiaries and who receives the remainder of the estate.
• Digital assets: instructions for social media, cloud storage and other online accounts, bearing in mind providers’ terms and separate access arrangements.
• Pension nominations and life policies: these often use separate nomination forms—check whether the will or those nominations control payment on death.

Common pitfalls for younger testators

• Assuming joint ownership will reflect your wishes: assets held as joint tenants pass automatically by survivorship and may not be affected by a will.
• Overlooking cohabitation: unmarried partners do not inherit automatically under intestacy.
• Failing to update: changes in relationships, assets or family circumstances mean a will should be reviewed periodically.
• Informal documents: hand‑written notes or social media declarations may not satisfy the formal requirements of the Wills Act.

Practical checklist

1. List your assets (bank accounts, property, pensions, digital accounts) and your intended beneficiaries.
2. Decide on guardians for any minors and who will act as executor.
3. Check pension and life policy nomination forms and how they interact with a will.
4. Consider whether joint ownership reflects your wishes and, if not, seek steps to alter title.
5. Make a formal, witnessed will and store it securely; record where copies are held.
6. Review your will after major life changes (marriage, separation, birth, property transactions).

Jurisdiction and sources

This note addresses law and practice in England and Wales. Authoritative public sources include:

• GOV.UK: Make a will
• GOV.UK: Wills, probate and inheritance
• Wills Act 1837 and other relevant legislation (legislation.gov.uk)

Our London office is located at Holborn Gate, 330 High Holborn, London, WC1V 7QH, England. If you are considering a will, a specialist adviser can explain how the formalities and interactions with other arrangements (for example, pension nominations and property ownership) apply to your circumstances.

General information only; not legal advice and not a substitute for advice on a particular matter.