Whether you have realized the essence of creating a will ahead or not, this article will be beneficial. As important as creating a will is, there are a few misinformation about it, which may lead to gross mistakes. In the end, if the document you create is not done correctly, it cannot be tenable as a legal document. The days of spending hours with an attorney to make your will are gone.
Today, you can truly create the legal document called a will in a digital form but note that it does not end there. This article gives five reasons why you should consider creating wills online after you have concluded making a will. Let us start with what a will is and what the term ‘online will’ connotes. Do you need a lawyer, or can you complete wills online will without the service of a lawyer at all?
What is Wills Online Service?
When we refer to wills online, we are referring to creating a will online and filling in all the necessary details. However, it does not mean you will not need the services of a lawyer, or you will not have to print. You need to print and sign it in the presence of two witnesses for the document to be legal. Any digital copy you create online, be it scanned in a softcopy or snapped, cannot become legal. It must undergo other processes.
Related: Differences between an Online Will and a Trust
Even if you still store the will in the cloud, it must first become the hard copy format. Then you duly append all signatures before storage. Presently in Australia, you need a professional attorney to append their signatures to validate your will. That process makes the online a legal document. In addition, the signing will also involve two witnesses. Also, when the will is ready to be probated, we cannot use the online or digital version. We will need to produce a hard copy.
So, an online will service is a service that helps you create your will using digital means. But you will still need to produce a hard copy and take it through due process. It is time to consider the five critical reasons why you should create an online will.
5 Reasons you should Create an Online Will
- It allows the Do-it-yourself (DIY) approach
One of the peculiar advantages of digital tools is that they allow anyone to use a DIY approach. Research showed that over 52% of adult Australians don’t have a will, which may be a problem. Their families may run into severe problems if and when the need arises. This alarming rate shows a need to continue to educate Australians about how important a will is. Similarly, you can do it yourself when you create an online will.
Doing it yourself will require choosing the right platform, such as Chamberlain. Then you must back your decision to make a will or testament with convenience. You will provide all the required information and follow the other steps to validate the document. In addition, you may need to answer a few questions before the will can be ready for download and printing. You must arrange for witnesses and an attorney to sign it when you print it.
- Online will is affordable to create
Another important reason why you should choose an online will is its affordability. An online will is inexpensive since you don’t have to see a lawyer until the final signing and safekeeping stage. Anyone would choose the latter if they save up to $800 between creating a regular will and an online one. This process makes things easier for you when creating it. But it is also easier for your family when the right time comes.
If you can afford to pay for the complete services of a lawyer, can you afford the time? Often, it takes more than a session to complete one’s regular will. However, the online choice of a will does not require payment for different sessions. You can bookmark the page and continue even if you cannot meet all the information. Ultimately, the time and money you spend online will be lower than what you would have paid otherwise.
- It’s an education on its own
Many Australians don’t even know it is possible to create an online will until they encounter Chamberlain. That is why we make it a duty to give optimum service to all our clients. In the end, these clients learn a few more things about creating a will and how to keep one. There are also different case scenarios that we look out for in preparing the will to give you the best. For instance, you can set up other benefits alongside the will to make it worthwhile.
In addition, we provide professional assistance in the latter stages of preparing your will. You can discuss this with a potential executor who can guide what you need to put in place. As for those struggling with the decision, we analyze the process of writing a will. In addition, we gave some disadvantages of not having one. We describe how the executor will carry out the probate process while your will is executed. A better understanding often gives the testator peace of mind.
- Value-added services
Value-added services for outstanding performance often accompany online will creation. Since the online design will come through digital means, losing a client to other competitors is easy. Therefore, we provide some unique services in addition to our essential usefulness of a legal online will or testament. Some of the extra benefits you may find include
- Lifelock services
- Keyholders
- Messages
- Funeral services
- Updates are easy and often free
Another advantage of using an online will creation platform is that it is easy to update. Online intentions differ, unlike a regular will that may require undoing and redoing some legal processes before updating the copy. In an online will, there is no need for a codicil. Moreover, your choice can even provide for all future issues, including children you are yet to have. Also, unlike a traditional will, the update does not require a lengthy legal process.
Now, you will update it online and reclose it the legal way. However, suppose you wish to change an executor before the due date. In that case, you can easily do so with an online will but not otherwise. You may want to include your grandchildren in the plan and the strategies of other family members and other donations.
