{"id":9925,"date":"2026-07-03T13:35:58","date_gmt":"2026-07-03T13:35:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rfblegal.co.uk\/?post_type=insight&p=9925"},"modified":"2026-07-03T13:36:34","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T13:36:34","slug":"de-minimumleeftijd-voor-het-opstellen-van-een-testament-zal-worden-verlaagd","status":"publish","type":"insight","link":"https:\/\/rfblegal.co.uk\/nl\/inzichten\/de-minimumleeftijd-voor-het-opstellen-van-een-testament-zal-worden-verlaagd\/","title":{"rendered":"De minimumleeftijd voor het opstellen van een testament wordt verlaagd"},"content":{"rendered":"

De Wet op het testament van 1837<\/a> has been\u00a0largely unchanged\u00a0for almost two centuries but in recent years it has become clear that in the age of\u00a0digital communication,\u00a0more complex\u00a0family\u00a0structures\u00a0and longer\u00a0life<\/a> expectancy, it\u00a0is in need of\u00a0updating.\u00a0In May 2025, the\u00a0Law Commission\u00a0published\u00a0a number<\/a> of\u00a0proposals for a new\u00a0Testamenten<\/a> Act in England<\/a> and Wales. These include reducing\u00a0the minimum age for making a zal<\/a> to 16 years old\u00a0and allowing for the possibility of an application being made to the court for authority for an even younger child to make a will.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whilst a 12 year old residing in Scotland is able to make a valid will, a classmate living just across the English border would have to wait another<\/a> six years to do so. This means that in the event of the death of a minor in England and Wales, their estate would be distributed under the laws of intestacy to their parents<\/a> or if they did not survive then to their closest relatives. Consequently, where a child is estranged from one of their parents, that parent would still inherit. A step-parent who has brought the child up could not.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although children often do not have much to leave, they could be very particular about<\/a> who is to look after a pet and who can gain access to their digital assets. There are also children who have accumulated significant assets through acting, music, playing sport and increasingly from monetising online activities who might feel very aggrieved if they became ill and were not able to decide how their estate should be distributed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Het lijkt onwaarschijnlijk dat er, mochten deze voorstellen worden ingevoerd, een stormloop zou ontstaan van 16- en 17-jarigen die een testament willen opstellen, of van jongere tieners die een verzoek bij de rechter zouden indienen om hieraan mee te kunnen doen. Het zou kinderen bij wie een levensbeperkende ziekte is vastgesteld echter wel de geruststelling bieden dat hun wensen zullen worden nageleefd. Het zou ook het bewustzijn moeten vergroten dat testamenten regelmatig moeten worden herzien, aangezien een testament dat door een tiener is opgesteld enkele jaren later achterhaald kan raken wanneer hij of zij gaat samenwonen met een vaste partner.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Kings Speech in May 2026 did not mention a new Wills bill<\/a> and it may therefore be some time before children in England and Wales have the opportunity to make wills. We look forward to assisting them when that time finally comes.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the meantime, our dedicated and specialist team<\/a> of solicitors can assist their parents with putting wills in place to appoint their guardians and trustees to look after their inheritance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please feel free<\/a> to contact<\/a> us to discuss any aspect of estate planning and to arrange an appointment.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tel.: 020 7467 5757 of e-mail: privateclient@rfblegal.co.uk<\/a> <\/p>","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":9926,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9925","insight","type-insight","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-wills-probate"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t