At Trustees Executors, we’ve been working hard to help Kiwis manage their wealth for 140 years. Since then, we’ve always worked to innovate and provide better services to more people in more places.

While many Kiwis have never documented their wishes, all of us have affairs that need to be dealt with when we pass away. Wills are for everyone — not just the wealthy, or those with complex estates. Making a Will allows you to provide for your loved ones. Despite this, only half of New Zealanders actually have a Will today. With young families at particular risk, we’ve decided to do something about it by launching our digital Will writing tool “Online Wills” to help people create their own simple Will at minimal cost.

Wills are for small estates and personal wishes too

Many people unfortunately still believe that sharing their bank account information or making verbal arrangements is enough to manage their estate, when their estate is small and simple and there are few beneficiaries. However, if your estate is more than $15,000.00 having no Will, or one that’s out of date, can have serious consequences for your loved ones. If you die without a Will, it usually results in a significant delay in how long it takes before your family are able to access your assets. That means that your family could be left shouldering legal and funeral costs until Court approval is obtained.

Wills are not just for providing instructions on how to manage your estate. Wills can also formally document your personal wishes which would be legally respected. For example, your Will can include instructions on how you’d like to be laid to rest, who should administer your estate, and who should become the legal guardian for any dependants.

Kiwis need access to digital Will writing services

The best time to write a Will is always today. To encourage as many people as possible to do so, it’s critical to make Wills as accessible and affordable as possible.  This is especially true during uncertain times when moving through alert level changes due to COVID-19 means face-to-face meetings are becoming increasingly difficult.

A low-cost digital Will writing tool, such as the one we are launching at Trustees Executors, is specifically designed for people who would otherwise wait to create a simple Will. Our Online Wills system provides users with the framework they need to create their own simple Will.

Of course, not everyone has a simple estate that can be managed with a simple Will. International investments, blended families, trusts, and a lifetime of investment and wealth building add layers of complexity that require expert support. In this situation, it’s important to work with an experienced professional directly to help manage your individual needs and ensure that your last wishes are carried out as intended. If you’d like to learn more about what kind of Will is right for you, please reach out to us today! You can view our fast and easy digital Will writing tool here: https://onlinewills.trustees.co.nz/.