A will-maker misunderstands trusts and mistakenly leaves children with shares that are worthless

The will-maker was a man with two adult children from his first marriage and no children from his second marriage. He had a successful business with a complex corporate structure including two family trusts. The will-maker made it known that when he died his second wife would be looked after, but his children would get the bulk of the estate. However, after he died it became clear that he had not understood his corporate structure, or the function of the trusts, so that the Will effectively left everything of value to the new wife and the children’s share was valueless.