A will says what should happen.
A letter of wishes says why.
It is not legally binding.
But it carries weight — the weight of your voice,
speaking clearly to those you leave behind.
It is a guide for your executors and trustees.
A personal document that provides context
no legal form can capture.
What it can include
A letter of wishes is as personal as you are.
There are no rigid rules about its contents.
Common inclusions
- The reasons behind specific decisions in your will
- Guidance for trustees on how you would like assets managed
- Funeral wishes and preferences for your service
- Personal messages to family members or loved ones
- Instructions for the care of pets
- Guidance on digital assets — accounts, passwords, social media
It can be long or brief.
Formal or deeply personal.
What matters is that it is honest —
and that it helps the people reading it
understand what you truly wanted.
Why it matters
A will is a legal document. Precise. Structured.
But it cannot carry feeling.
A letter of wishes fills the space between law and love.
The value of context
- Provides reasoning that a will cannot express
- Helps executors understand your intent — not just your instructions
- Reduces the chance of family disputes by explaining your thinking
- Can be updated at any time without legal cost or formality
When families grieve, questions arise.
Why did they choose this? What would they have wanted?
A letter of wishes answers those questions
in your own words.
The difference
A Will
Says what.
Legally binding. Formal. Structured.
Directs assets and appoints executors.
A Letter of Wishes
Says why.
Not legally binding. Personal. Flexible.
Provides context and meaning.
A letter of wishes supports your formal documents by distilling the thinking behind them.
It gives your executors and trustees something no legal form can provide — understanding.
Bringing it back to simplicity
You do not need a solicitor to write a letter of wishes.
You do not need legal language.
You need only honesty.
And the willingness to speak — in writing —
to the people you care about most.
It is one of the most human parts of any plan.
The part where your voice is clearest.
The part that says:
I thought about this. I thought about you.