Couples need two wills, not one. That is not an upsell — it is how Australian wills work, and a single joint document causes real problems at exactly the worst moment. Here is how couples' wills actually work, the two assets your will probably does not control, and what it costs with us: $139 each, once, with no subscription on either will.
When the first partner dies, the original will usually has to be filed with the Supreme Court to obtain probate. If your wills are the same physical document, the survivor's will is now sitting in a court file — while they are grieving and may urgently need to update it.
Two separate documents avoid the problem entirely. Each will is independent, each is administered on its own, and each of you keeps your own. This is standard practice across Australia.
The overwhelmingly common structure, sometimes called mirror wills, is simply two wills that say the same thing from each side:
You are not obliged to match. Each will is your own document and you each decide independently.
Two matching wills are not a binding agreement between you. Either partner can make a new will tomorrow, without the other's knowledge or consent, and the new will prevails. Matching wills reflect a shared intention at a point in time — they do not lock it in.
If you need provisions that genuinely cannot be changed — commonly in blended families, where each partner wants to guarantee their own children eventually inherit — that is a mutual wills agreement, a separate binding contract. We do not produce those. See a solicitor.
This catches out more couples than anything else on this page.
How you hold the title decides what happens, not your will.
| How you hold it | What happens when one of you dies | Does your will control it? |
|---|---|---|
| Joint tenants (most couples) | Passes automatically to the surviving owner by survivorship | No |
| Tenants in common | Your share forms part of your estate | Yes |
If you are in a blended family and assume your half of the house goes to your children, but the title says joint tenants, it will go to your partner instead. Check your certificate of title before you write your will. If you are unsure, ask a conveyancer.
Super is generally not an estate asset. It is paid according to the nomination you have lodged with your fund, or at the trustee's discretion if you have not lodged one. Writing a will does not change it.
Log in to each of your super accounts and check you have a current binding death benefit nomination. For many couples the superannuation balance and the life insurance attached to it are the largest single thing they own — and the one their will does not touch.
Two eQUILL wills are $139 each — $278 for the couple, paid once. There is no subscription on either will and no fee to keep them.
We do not offer a couples discount today. Some competitors bundle two wills for a little less up front — Willed is $238 for a couple, checked August 2026 — and then charge an optional annual fee per will to keep them editable. Over a few years the positions converge, and after that ours is cheaper. If the lowest possible up-front price for two wills is what matters most to you, we will point you at our honest comparison with Willed rather than pretend otherwise.
| Up front, two wills | Ongoing, per year | |
|---|---|---|
| eQUILL | $278 | Nothing |
| Willed | $238 | Optional $15 per will after 12 months |
| Traditional solicitor | $800 – $2,000+ | Charged per update |
Competitor pricing checked August 2026. Prices change — confirm current figures with the provider.
You should not. A single document covering two people creates serious practical problems when the first partner dies, because the original has to be filed with the court for probate while the survivor still needs a working will. Standard Australian practice is two separate wills, one each, usually with matching provisions.
Two eQUILL wills are $139 each, so $278 for a couple, paid once with no subscription on either will. Some competitors bundle two wills for slightly less up front but then charge an annual fee per will to keep them editable. We do not offer a couples discount today, and we would rather state that plainly than hide it.
No. Each will is an independent legal document and each of you decides your own. Most couples choose matching provisions — everything to each other, then to the children — but you are free to differ, and neither of you is bound by what the other writes.
Yes. This surprises people. Two matching wills are not a contract between you. Either of you can make a new will at any time without the other's consent or knowledge. If you need provisions that cannot be changed, that is a mutual wills agreement and you need a solicitor.
If you own it as joint tenants, it passes automatically to the surviving owner and your will does not control it. If you own it as tenants in common, your share does pass under your will. This distinction matters enormously for blended families, and it is worth checking your title before you write your will.
Usually not. Superannuation is generally not an estate asset, and it is paid according to your nomination with the fund or at the trustee's discretion. Making a will does not change your super nomination — you need to complete a binding death benefit nomination with your fund separately.
This page is general information only, not advice about your personal circumstances. Content checked August 2026.