Explanation of Mirror Wills

Mirror Wills are a pair of Wills that are intended for couples and are identical in every way except that they swap the names of the partners.

In this way, they 'mirror' each other. Mirror Wills are the standard for a couple with unified intentions for their family property.

To illustrate with an example:

Imagine that a husband and wife, John Smith and Jane Smith, want to leave their assets to each other when they die. After they have both passed, their assets should go to their son, Jack Smith. Finally, in a disaster scenario, if their son has died before them, but he has left children of his own, then his entitlement should instead go to those children of his.

The Joint Summary of their Mirror Will Plans would look like this:

Joint Will Plan

  1. To Partner

    2. Primary Intention

    When the first partner among you dies, their property shall go to the second, surviving partner.

  2. To Son

    3. Alternate Scenario

    When the second, surviving partner among you dies, their property shall go to your son, Jack Smith, if he is then alive.

  3. To Grandchildren (if any)

    4. Alternate Scenario

    If your son, Jack Smith, above is not alive at the time of your death but has left children of his own then alive, then the interest as to your property he would have received had he been alive shall instead go in equal parts to such children of his own.

That joint summary would be equivalent to these summaries, if viewed individually:

John Smith's Will Plan

  1. To Wife

    2. Primary Intention

    When John Smith dies, John Smith's property shall go to John Smith's wife, Jane Smith, if she is then alive.

  2. To Son

    3. Alternate Scenario

    If John Smith's wife above is not alive at the time of John Smith's death, John Smith's property shall go to John Smith's son, Jack Smith, if he is then alive.

  3. To Grandchildren (if any)

    4. Alternate Scenario

    If John Smith's son, Jack Smith, above is not alive at the time of John Smith's death but has left children of his own then alive, then the interest as to John Smith's property he would have received had he been alive shall instead go in equal parts to such children of his own.

Jane Smith's Will Plan

  1. To Husband

    2. Primary Intention

    When Jane Smith dies, Jane Smith's property shall go to Jane Smith's husband, John Smith, if he is then alive.

  2. To Son

    3. Alternate Scenario

    If Jane Smith's husband above is not alive at the time of Jane Smith's death, Jane Smith's property shall go to Jane Smith's son, Jack Smith, if he is then alive.

  3. To Grandchildren (if any)

    4. Alternate Scenario

    If Jane Smith's son, Jack Smith, above is not alive at the time of Jane Smith's death but has left children of his own then alive, then the interest as to Jane Smith's property he would have received had he been alive shall instead go in equal parts to such children of his own.

And so you see, these are two Wills that are the same as each other, except for the reference to the partner at paragraph #1.

John's Will refers to his spouse, Jane, and Jane's Will refers to her spouse, John.

This reflects their joint intention for their property.

If you are a couple, then you may select the "Two Mirror Wills for a Couple" product option in our Questionnaire and easily get two matching Wills for yourself.

On the other hand, if you, as a couple, are certain that your Wills will not be matching and will be different from each other, you may of course proceed to complete two separate orders for a Will, one after the other.

To do this, you select the "One Will for an Individual" product option for the first partner, fill in their information, and complete their order. When you're done, you simply go back to the start and go through "One Will for an Individual" again for the second partner.