Making a Will is one of the most important things you can do for your family – equally as important is storing that Will safely and making sure your family can find it! If your Will can’t be found or if nobody knows you made one, then you may be assumed to have died intestate, meaning the law will decide how your estate is shared. In this guide, we’ll explain what you should do once you’ve made your Will to ensure it’s kept securely and can be accessed easily when the time comes.
Where Can I Store My Will Safely?
There are no legal requirements for how you store your Will, but we’ll explain the four most common options below.
Store Your Will With Us!
We offer a secure storage service which costs just £100 for lifetime storage. Your Will is kept safely and is completely confidential – it can only be accessed by you or, once you pass away, your executor (they will just need to provide your death certificate and their ID). In the very unlikely event that our company ever ceased trading, your Will would be returned to you immediately.
Store Your Will With A Solicitor
Some solicitors may store your Will even if you didn’t make it with them. The service will be similar to the storage service we offer but will usually be more expensive and may come with other terms and conditions.
Store Your Will With The Probate Service
You can store your Will with The Probate Service for a small fee. The downside of this option is that you can only access it by filling out and submitting a form from the HM Courts & Tribunal Service – meaning it may be more hassle for you to update your Will than the two other professional storage options above.
Store Your Will At Your Home
You may want to keep your original Will in one of the secure facilities listed above, but many people do at least keep a copy of their Will at home. We do not advise keeping the only copy of your Will at home due to the risk of loss, damage, fire or theft. Be sure to keep your Will in a safe place, preferably with other important documents, and let your executor know where they can find it.
What NOT To Do When Storing Your Will
Make sure you don’t store your Will in a bank safety deposit box as these can only be accessed once your executor gets a grant of probate, which can only be obtained with your Will. Doing this could mean your Will is inaccessible and therefore your estate may have to be distributed according to intestacy rules. It’s also important you don’t attach any other documents to your Will that may be taken off later. If these documents are removed, the marks could imply that your Will has been tampered with, which could cause issues when your executor applies for probate.
How Do I Make Sure My Family Can Find My Will?
There are services where you can register your Will so family members can search for it online when you pass away. However, the most common way to ensure your family can find your Will is to tell them where it’s stored! It’s particularly important to tell your executor where they can find the original copy of your Will, but we also recommend telling other family members as well in case your executor forgets or misplaces this crucial information. If you decide to keep your Will with a professional storage service, it will be kept confidential until you pass away unless you choose to share it.
Should I Make Copies of My Will and Can They Be Used?
It is a good idea to keep a copy of your Will at home, and many people also hand a copy to their executor or other family members. Digital copies of your Will can be useful but only for reference sake – they can’t be used to apply for probate. Paper copies are also useful for reference, but they can’t be used in place of the original without a lengthy legal process to prove they are a true and complete copy, so it’s important you store the original document safely and tell your family where it is.
Can My Family Access My Will Before I Die?
Your family will only see your Will if you give them copies or show them the original. If you chose to store your Will with us, it’ll be completely confidential until your executor provides your death certificate and their ID to prove they are your executor. You can access it whenever you wish and we can help you update it if you need to. We also offer a FREE Will Review service to make sure your Will is kept up to date so it accurately reflects your current circumstances and wishes.
The Bottom Line
It’s recommended to keep your Will with a professional storage service to reduce the risk of it being lost or damaged. If you do decide to keep the original copy at home, be sure to keep it in a safe place, preferably with other important documents.
Wherever you choose to store your Will, it’s important you tell your executor where it is and get them to write the information down so they can find it easily when the time comes. You may also want to tell other family members in case your executor misplaces the information. It’s a good idea to at least have a copy of your Will at home, and you can hand out copies to beneficiaries if your wish.
At Michael Usher Wills & Estate planning we’ve been helping our local community for over 30 years. Making your Will is one of the most important things you’ll ever do, so it’s essential you make a legally binding document that will stand up in court and then store it safely. We’re regulated members of the Institute of Professional Willwriters, so you can be confident our service is of the highest quality. Our friendly team is always happy to chat with you for free about your Will and answer any questions. Call us on one of the numbers below or book a FREE consultation here. We look forward to helping you protect your assets, your family, and your legacy.
Camberley: 01276 691979
Basingstoke: 01256 637007
COVID-19 Update
Due to the current situation, you are now able to make a Will with us remotely for your own safety and convenience. Read the article below to find out how this works.
