WillowBlog
Guides on Wills & estate planning
Plain-English guidance on Wills, probate, and estate planning for England & Wales.
Guides
What does an executor actually do? Roles, responsibilities, and how to choose one
What the role actually involves, who can take it on, and what to do if there’s no one suitable to ask.
17 September 2026 · 7 min read
Guides
Substitute Executors: what happens if your first choice cannot act
The three ways an Executor can end up unable to act, and how naming a substitute avoids a more complicated process.
17 September 2026 · 4 min read
Guides
The role of a Trustee: what they do and how it differs from an Executor
What a Trustee actually does day to day, and how the role differs from being an Executor.
17 September 2026 · 5 min read
Guides
How to Execute Your Will: Signing and Witnessing Explained
How to correctly sign and witness your Will, common mistakes to avoid, and a final checklist.
17 September 2026 · 5 min read
Guides
Specific gifts of items in your Will: naming personal possessions
Why naming a specific item carries the risk of ademption, and how to word the gift so it holds up.
17 September 2026 · 4 min read
Guides
Specific cash gifts in your Will: how pecuniary legacies work
How cash gifts work, how they interact with your residue, and what to consider when choosing amounts.
17 September 2026 · 3 min read
Guides
What happens if there is not enough money for your cash gifts
The legal order in which gifts are reduced when an estate falls short, known as abatement.
17 September 2026 · 4 min read
Guides
Multiple residuary beneficiaries: splitting the rest of your estate in practice
How to split your residue between several beneficiaries, and what happens if one dies before you.
17 September 2026 · 4 min read
Guides
Leaving a gift to a beneficiary under 18: how it actually works
Why a minor cannot inherit outright, and how Trustees hold the gift until they come of age.
17 September 2026 · 4 min read
Guides
Including a pet in your Will: choosing a guardian and leaving funds for their care
How to name a guardian for your pet, and word your Will so it covers pets you get in future.
17 September 2026 · 4 min read
Guides
Gifting a pet to an animal charity: how rehoming legacies work
How UK animal charity rehoming schemes work, and why registering matters more than naming the charity.
17 September 2026 · 4 min read
Guides
Roles within Wills: Executors, Trustees, Guardians and Beneficiaries explained
What each role in a Will actually does, which are mandatory, and why reserve appointments and ‘issue’ matter.
6 September 2026 · 9 min read
Guides
The one-third rule explained: how much you can leave outside Fara'id
Where the one-third rule comes from, what it is calculated against, and what happens if a Will tries to go beyond it.
6 September 2026 · 7 min read
Guides
Willow Wills vs Online Wills vs Solicitors' Wills
When an online Will is the right choice, when to see a solicitor, and what to look for in an online Will provider.
27 August 2026 · 9 min read
Guides
What is an Islamic Will? The Complete UK Guide
How Fara'id and Wasiyyah work alongside English law, what has to be in your Will, and why a letter of wishes matters.
24 August 2026 · 8 min read