In order to make sure your Will is valid you will need to sign the document in front of two independent witnesses. They must also sign the document themselves. It is not a requirement for your witnesses to be a justice of the peace or any professionals. They could be friends or colleagues but it is essential they are are not mentioned in the Will or likely to benefit from the Will as this could invalidate the document. Additionally, ensure that witness details, including their signatures and occupations, are correctly filled out to avoid any legal complications.
Witnesses must also meet specific criteria: they must be at least 18 years old, have the mental capacity to understand the witnessing process, and must not be legally blind.
The original signed and witnessed copy of your will is the legally binding document. It is crucial to store it securely in a safe or safety deposit box and inform your executor and family members of its location.
We provide full details on how to sign the document, and who can act as a witness in our instructions when you purchase a Will using the Safewill platform. Additionally, Safewill offers a digital backup feature where you can upload a scanned copy of your signed will for secure storage. However, remember that the original signed copy is required by the Court for probate.
If you make edits to your will after submission, the system may revert your document to an “in progress” status to ensure that any changes are captured and remain legally valid. To complete the process, you will need to resubmit the will for review. Once approved, the updated will becomes available for download.