Warning
Info
Warning
Info
Simple English definitions for legal terms
Mirror Wills
Read a random definition: shock
A quick definition of Mirror Wills:
Mirror wills are wills made by two people, usually married couples, that have almost the same instructions. Each person's will is like a reflection of the other person's will. For example, if one person's will says that everything they own should go to their spouse, the other person's will says the same thing. Mirror wills are not always the same as each other, and each person can change their own will without asking the other person. Other people, like siblings or business partners, can also make mirror wills.
A more thorough explanation:
Mirror wills are wills created by two people that have almost the same provisions. They are usually made by married couples. Each spouse's will "mirrors" the other spouse's will. For example, a married couple's mirror wills may each say that the surviving spouse gets the deceased spouse's entire estate. Mirror wills are not necessarily binding, and each spouse can change their will without asking the other spouse. They are also used by siblings, unmarried partners, or business partners.
- John and Jane are a married couple. They create mirror wills that say that if one of them dies, the other spouse gets everything. If they both die, their children get everything.
- Two sisters, Sarah and Emily, create mirror wills that say that if one of them dies, the other sister gets everything. If they both die, their parents get everything.
- Two business partners, Tom and Jerry, create mirror wills that say that if one of them dies, the other partner gets everything. If they both die, their company gets everything.
These examples illustrate how mirror wills work. In each case, the wills are almost identical, and each person's will mirrors the other person's will. If one person dies, the other person gets everything. If both people die, their assets go to someone else.