digital will
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simonineaston
- Posts: 8063
- Joined: 9 May 2007, 1:06pm
- Location: ...at a cricket ground
digital will
Don't get me wrong - I'm not planning to pass on real soon, but... does anyone know if it's possible to lodge a will online? I was talking to a chum the other day and he recounted the problems a family of his acquaintence was having 'cos a deceased parent's will could not be found. Brothers are now at daggers drawn - oh dear. Then it occured to me that since we are encouraged these days to "go paperless", perhaps that advice might extend to our wills...
S
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
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thirdcrank
- Posts: 36780
- Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm
Re: digital will
Unless something has changed very recently, the answer is "No."
In short, the original paper will must generally be subject to a "grant of probate" and that's currently even slower than usual because they cannot get new supplies of quill pens.
In short, the original paper will must generally be subject to a "grant of probate" and that's currently even slower than usual because they cannot get new supplies of quill pens.
Re: digital will
For England:
"Make sure your will is legal":
https://www.gov.uk/make-will/make-sure- ... l-is-legal
includes "make it in writing" and remote signing by witnesses.
"Guidance on making wills using video-conferencing":
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/guidance-on ... nferencing
Jonathan
"Make sure your will is legal":
https://www.gov.uk/make-will/make-sure- ... l-is-legal
includes "make it in writing" and remote signing by witnesses.
"Guidance on making wills using video-conferencing":
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/guidance-on ... nferencing
Jonathan
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axel_knutt
- Posts: 2920
- Joined: 11 Jan 2007, 12:20pm
Re: digital will
If you want to make sure your will is found you can have it stored by the HM Courts & Tribunals Service for £20.simonineaston wrote: ↑11 Oct 2021, 2:53pmI was talking to a chum the other day and he recounted the problems a family of his acquaintence was having 'cos a deceased parent's will could not be found.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... te-service
“I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche
― Friedrich Nietzsche
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simonineaston
- Posts: 8063
- Joined: 9 May 2007, 1:06pm
- Location: ...at a cricket ground
Re: digital will
hahaha - they're welcome to borrow my biro - I like the simple idea of sending it to the probate service, as suggested by ak. I'll check with the solicitor when I see her. Thanks folks.they cannot get new supplies of quill pens.
S
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
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thirdcrank
- Posts: 36780
- Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm
Re: digital will
I can see that sending it to the Probate "Service" might help with problems finding it - although my own experience of other things they do does not inspire any confidence at all. They are stuck with the attitudes Charles Dickens satirised in Bleak House.
No experience of lodging a will in this way, but I fancy the problems would only become apparent if you needed access to the will to alter it to suit changing conditions. They have one speed - dead (pun intentional) slow.
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PS I think the main problems with finding wills occur when executors don't know where to look. A solicitor who writes a will will store it safely, if only to have the chance of business when alterations or help with probate are needed. It's a matter of ensuring the executors are kept informed. If you don't do that, nobody has much chance.
No experience of lodging a will in this way, but I fancy the problems would only become apparent if you needed access to the will to alter it to suit changing conditions. They have one speed - dead (pun intentional) slow.
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PS I think the main problems with finding wills occur when executors don't know where to look. A solicitor who writes a will will store it safely, if only to have the chance of business when alterations or help with probate are needed. It's a matter of ensuring the executors are kept informed. If you don't do that, nobody has much chance.