Signing, Witnessing and Storing Your Will
Signing, Witnessing and Storing your Will is important.
If you have used a professional Will writing service or solicitor to draft your Will you would be forgiven for thinking that all the hard work had been taken care of and that all your wishes have been recorded.
There is however one more vital step that you must complete to validate your Will. If you fail to sign and have your Will witnessed correctly, when the time comes it may be deemed invalid. To avoid the unnecessary problems this would cause your family we have highlighted the ways in which you can ensure your Will becomes legally binding.
Signing
Your Will must be signed by you, the Testator, using your normal signature. If the Will consists of several pages they should be properly bound and the signature will usually appear at the end.
Witnessing
You must sign your Will in the presence of two witnesses, all being present at the same time in the same place. A witness cannot be;
- Under 18 years of age
- A blood relative
- Nominated within in your Will as a beneficiary, Executor or otherwise
Neighbours or work colleges are often a good choice. The witnesses must then sign your Will as well to confirm, or attest, your signature and to confirm the will has been signed in the presence of each other.
Storing Your Will
Now that your Will is signed, witnessed and legally binding you must consider the best place to store it. You can store your Will anywhere you choose but do remember, if your Will cannot be found after you have passed away you will either die intestate (as if you have no Will) or a previous Will may be used. It is advisable to inform your Executors where your Will is kept so they can ensure your wishes are carried out. You may want to consider storing your Will in a storage facility. This will ensure it’s safe-keeping and will also prevent it being defaced in anyway avoiding extra delays during Probate.
WSL Ltd can provide clear guidance for signing and witnessing your Will as well as a Signing and Witnessing service. They also provide the option of using their safe storage facility granting only you and your Executors access to these important documents. WSL are delighted to offer Silverhairs.com customers a discount on their home visit service. Please call us direct on 0208 3801082 or click here to view the offer.
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