mutual wills

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mutual wills

n. wills made by two people (usually spouses, but could be "partners") in which each gives his/her estate to the other, or with dispositions they both agree upon. A later change by either party is valid unless it can be proved that there was a contract in which each made his/her will in the consideration for the other person making his/her will as written. (See: mirror wills)

mutual wills

wills made by two persons who, in pursuance of an antecedent agreement, leave their estates reciprocally to the survivor. In English law, either will may be revoked during the joint lifetimes of the testators, but equity will specifically enforce the mutual wills agreement (thereby effectively making revocation by the survivor impossible) after the death of one of the parties.

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References in periodicals archive ?

Denny's son took the matter to the Court of Appeal who found that Laura and Denny's agreement made their wills Mutual Wills and it would be unfair to allow Laura to change her will after Denny's death.

Wills: a bind for eternity?

In 2003, three years after the mutual wills were executed, Robert died.

Mutual will contains embedded contract, which could govern conduct of surviving spouse

The mutual wills showed the existence of a contract and the beneficiaries named in those wills were entitled to the assets; see Godwin.

Blended families provide estate planning challenges

The elderly couple had made mutual wills appointing the other as sole executor to their assets.