Will and Document Storage
Your Will is vitally important in enabling you to leave clear instructions on how your estate Is to be distributed. If anything happens to your Will or if your Executor doesn't know where to find it, you may as well not have written one.
The original Last Will and Testament is the only document that will be legally accepted and it must be in pristine condition to ensure that there are no complications when following the wishes set out in it.
It is vital that your documents are stored appropriately so that it meets the specific requirements of the Probate Courts when it is presented by your Executor(s).
The National Will Archive
We all take care of things that we treasure; we keep our money in the bank and jewels or other valuables in a safe or strongbox - so if you think about it, it makes perfect sense to store your Will in a secure and safe location as well.
At SLS Wills and More we take great care of your documents.
Not only do we store your documents with The National Will Archive but we also register them with Certainty - The National Will Register meaning that they will always be safe, a record of them is made on a national register and they can be accessed at any point.
Many people will understandably assume that the safest place to store their Will is within their house, but research shows that the majority of family members (67%) wouldn't know where their relative's Will is stored at home.
It is also important to ask yourself, what happens if the worse happens and your house is burgled, damaged by fire or flooded? Or what happens if the documents are mislaid during a move or clear out? Consider what would happen if a member of your family was disappointed to find out that you had not included them in your Will. It is not beyond the realms of possibility that they could destroy your Will and claim that you died intestate as they may then receive benefit from your Estate.
If having read this, you decide you still wish to store your Will at home, then please follow the guidance below:
Do not PIN, STAPLE or PAPERCLIP anything to the cover or any of the pages inside
Do not remove the cover - this will damage the Will
Do not make any notes or corrections on the Will - this will completely invalidate your Will and you will need to start again. If any amendments need to be made, please contact me to discuss the proposed amendments
Please keep your Will in a flat position inside a lockable, fire and water proof box
Please ensure that your Executors know where your Will is kept and how they can access it
If at any time, you change your mind, please talk to me about alternative storage solutions which I can offer.
What happens if a Will has been lost?
Please be aware that if the Will cannot be found, it will be assumed that you deliberately destroyed the Will and you will be deemed to have died intestate.
Do SLS Wills and More store Wills?
Yes. We store Wills and legal documents for clients and also for people who have had their Will written and want to keep it safe. All of our documents are stored with the National Will Archive.
Can I store my Will digitally?
Yes but your Executors will need the original physical Will as this is what is required to admit to probate. A digital copy is only that - a copy. It’s not your LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT.