Which Is More Important: A Will or a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA)?

A Will passes your estate, on your death, to those you wish; appoints guardians for children under 18 and appoints the executors you trust to manage the process.

An LPA grants the authority to handle your financial and health affairs to an attorney when you want it to happen or when you have lost mental capacity. 

In an ideal world having both covers all bases

Without an LPA you cannot sell a jointly owned property if one owner has lost mentally capacity to sign a contract; nor are you able to handle that person’s health affairs. Bear in mind that it is wise to get the LPA in place now and let it lie dormant until needed. They can take several months to put in place.

Without a Will, legal rules will decide who gets the estate and who the executors are

However, if you own sufficient assets jointly, particularly your house, the surviving partner will become owner by default without a Will being needed.

On balance, I believe it wise to have both documents in place but if you have to choose one now, get the LPA sorted.