Letter of Wishes: What to Include and How to Write One

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Quick answer: A letter of wishes is a private document that sits alongside your will, explaining your wishes to your executors and trustees — about your funeral, personal items, the care of children, and how to use any discretion over a trust. It is not legally binding, but it carries real weight and can be updated easily.

Where your will makes the legally-binding gifts, the letter of wishes adds the personal guidance and context that helps your loved ones carry out your intentions. (To change the will itself you need a properly executed codicil — a letter of wishes cannot do that.)

What is a letter of wishes?

An informal but important document expressing your preferences and reasons. It often accompanies a will containing a discretionary trust, guiding the trustees on how you would like them to exercise their discretion.

Who needs it & when

Anyone making a will — especially with children, a discretionary trust, sentimental items, or specific funeral wishes — who wants to guide (not legally bind) those left in charge. Wishes about refusing future medical treatment are different — those need a legally binding advance decision (living will).

What to include & key points

It is not legally binding — the will prevails — but trustees should take it into account.
Common contents: funeral wishes, who should receive personal items, guardianship preferences, and guidance to trustees.
Keep it consistent with your will, date it, and update it when circumstances change.
Store it with (but separate from) your will.

How to do it — step by step

Note your wishes: funeral, items, children, and any trust guidance.
Draft the letter to your executors/trustees, making clear it is guidance, not instruction.
Sign and date it; review it periodically.
Keep it safely alongside your will.

How Chris helps

Tell Chris your wishes and Chris drafts your letter of wishes to a high standard — you check, sign and store it with your will. Not a law firm.

See it done — a letter of wishes, drafted in minutes

A letter of wishes to your executors and trustees, drafted to a high standard — Chris builds it from your wishes in minutes. Scroll the sample below.

DRAFTED BY CHRIS · sampleSCROLL ↓

LETTER OF WISHES

To my executors and trustees — this letter accompanies my will dated 10 May 2026. It is not legally binding, but I would be grateful if you would take my wishes into account.

1. Funeral. I would like a simple cremation and a short humanist service, with donations to a cancer charity rather than flowers.

2. Personal items. I would like my mother’s ring to go to my daughter Sarah, and my collection of books to my son Tom.

3. Children. Should guardianship arise, I would wish my sister Anne to care for my children, and I ask my trustees to release funds for their education and wellbeing.

4. Trust guidance. In exercising your discretion over the trust fund, please give priority to my children’s education and housing needs, and treat them equally.

Thank you for acting in line with these wishes.

Signed: …………………… Date: ……………………

Illustrative sample with fictional names and details. Chris drafts yours from your own wishes; you check, sign and have it witnessed as required.

Draft your letter →

Last reviewed: June 2026 · England & Wales · CIC No. 16566612 — not a law firm.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

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