Getting your Will sorted: A former solicitor and young widow’s guide

April 2026

WAY Ambassador Emma Gray is a former award-winning Wills & Probate solicitor who retrained after her husband died and now helps young widowed people to navigate life after loss as a therapeutic grief coach. As part of a series of articles about navigating admin as a young widow, we asked Emma for her advice on preparing Wills…

“When life is busy, it’s so easy to let creating or updating your Will fall to the bottom of the to-do list. It’s a hugely emotional thing to sit with the thought of what happens when you die, and even more so if you’ve been bereaved yourself.

I have a unique perspective because I spent 14 years working as a solicitor specialising in Wills, Probate and elderly client law… then, in July 2016, my Royal Marine husband Simon died of oesophageal cancer, leaving me as the solo parent to our two daughters. It’s with both my professional and personal experiences in mind that WAY has invited me to write a few words about why preparing a Will is so important and some of the things you need to think about.

Being prepared

Sorting your Will is one of the most loving things you can do for the people who matter most. I’ve seen both sides of Will planning from very different perspectives… first as a solicitor watching families struggle with the aftermath of poor planning, and then as a widow who leaned heavily on my husband’s careful preparation, which supported me through the darkest days of my life. But updating my own Will after Simon died still felt hard… because, as well as being a practical job that needed doing, facing up to your own Will can involve huge and sometimes complex emotions.

I often say that my late husband’s meticulous approach to sorting out his affairs when he was poorly became my emotional handrail when my world was turned upside down. This is why I changed careers after Simon died – I now coach others through my business Rainbow Hunting.

My aim is to be the support I wish I had ten years ago… both to sort the practical stuff, as well as the emotional side of grief. And it’s why I feel so passionately about talking more about making sure you are prepared for the worst-case scenario.

Why an up-to-date Will is important

If you’re reading this as a young widow or widower, you already know that the unthinkable can happen. We always say that WAY Widowed and Young is the club that none of us wanted to join, but we are so grateful it is there. When things haven’t gone to plan, our own experiences can give us a purpose and clarity about what we need to do to ensure that the admin is easier if anything happens to us… but it still doesn’t make any of it easy to do.

It is likely that you know better than most people how much it matters to have your affairs in order. It doesn’t just help you with day-to-day life, it’s also important for the people who love you and who have to pick up the pieces if you are ill or no longer here. If you have no Will, your assets pass in accordance with what’s called the laws of intestacy and, with increasingly blended families and family relationships, often that causes problems.

If you have children – especially if you are now the solo parent – one of their biggest fears is likely to be what would happen to them if something happened to you. A Will gives you the power to answer that question clearly, lovingly and on your own terms… It is often a tricky one to face but there is always a solution.

What does a Will cover?

Your Will isn’t just about who gets your money when you die. It covers:

Who inherits all your assets and, if relevant, in what proportions
Who you appoint as Executor (the person or people responsible for carrying out your wishes and sorting out the administration of the estate)
Who becomes Guardian of any children, if they are under 18 when you die
Any specific gifts you want to make (e.g. sentimental items, charitable donations etc.)
Your funeral wishes (whether you want to be buried or cremated).

If your circumstances have changed since you last wrote your Will, or if you’ve never written one, this is something that needs to be done. Separation, bereavement, new children, property changes… all of these can have a significant impact on whether a previous Will is still fit for your current circumstances.

Choosing your Executor and Guardian

These are two decisions that often block people from even getting started with drafting a Will...

An Executor is someone who deals with your estate after you die… they contact institutions, pay debts and distribute assets. It can be a family member, close friend or a professional (such as a solicitor) but it’s important that they are able to do the role and are willing to take on the responsibility. It’s normal to appoint two Executors, so that they can support each other.

A Guardian is the person who will have legal and parental responsibility for any child of yours who is under 18 years old when you die and who has no other parent surviving you. It is often someone who shares your values, your parenting style and your vision for your children’s future.

It is important to speak to potential Executors and Guardians before you appoint them, and to consider what would happen if your first choice of appointees was unable to act.

Where to get started

Although there are template Wills available online, my strong advice is to use a qualified solicitor to draft your Will, especially if your circumstances are complex (e.g. children from previous relationships, property, business interests and/or assets abroad).

Look for a member of the Association of Lifetime Lawyers (formerly Solicitors for the Elderly) and/or the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) for experts in this area.

How to make the most of your time (and money) with a solicitor

Solicitor time costs money, so joining any meeting prepared is cost-efficient as well as organised. If possible, have the following information written down in preparation:

A list of your assets (property, savings, investments, pensions, life insurance, business interests etc.)
Who you want to inherit from your estate, and in what shares
Who you want as Executors, ideally two people and possibly a replacement
Who you want as Guardian for any children
Any specific gifts or charitable donations
Your funeral wishes

A Will Planner or checklist is useful… it saves you time, reduces the emotional load of trying to remember things in the moment, and means your solicitor can get straight to legal advice and drafting, rather than asking you lots of questions you hadn’t thought about.

Emma’s Will Challenge

Emma is running a free four-day Will Challenge from 11-15 May 2026, which is designed to help people understand what a Will covers, highlight common mistakes, offer checklists and empower anyone who wants to write or update their Will to find a solicitor and feel more confident about next steps.

Please note: Emma is now a therapeutic coach, not a practising solicitor, and no legal advice will be given during the challenge.

Find out more