With a lot of fear and uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 virus we are experiencing a significant increase of demand to review existing Wills and get new ones prepared.
But social distancing makes this process difficult as Will preparation & signing usually involves face to face meetings. And we want people to avoid the problems, and costs, we’ve seen from DIY Will options that are not checked by an estate planning lawyer.
To ensure as many people as possible can access professional estate planning services during these difficult times Clifford Gouldson has this week implemented the following measures:
- We have launched our “lawyer checked, online will” service via our sister brand Gray Lawyers. This offers the simplicity of an online Will and is perfect for straight forward Will arrangements. However, it is very different to cheap diy options because your Will is reviewed by an experienced estate planning lawyer before completion who will contact you to clarify any issues or concerns. The document is then sent to you with instructions to ensure it is signed in compliance with Will making requirements. No face to face meetings are necessary – payment is made online. This is a brand new system so please contact us if you encounter any difficulties or concerns.
- Where a standard Will may not be appropriate and/or you need to discuss your situation in detail we offer:
- Telephone or video conferencing (via any smartphone, tablet or pc with internet connection) to take your instructions
- Face to face meetings (compliant with social distancing protocols) to sign your Will if you require.
- Telephone or video conferencing to oversee the signing of your Wills where you have two unrelated witnesses but do not wish to attend our office.
- Where the person signing the Will simply cannot do so with two unrelated witnesses due to quarantine or hospital exclusion rules we have a protocol to achieve a “best possible” result now with the Will being formally executed at a later date.
- We are allocating additional resources to our Wills, Estates, Planning + Structuring team from other parts of our firm as demand increases. This is on top of the expertise of our leading, local team which comprises estate planning lawyer Sheelagh Gray, estates paralegal Brittany Durham and director Ben Gouldson who has specialised expertise in tax and structuring.
If you have concerns about your Will, Enduring Power of Attorney or estate planning generally and thought you had to wait till after the lockdown – you don’t.
Please visit the Online, lawyer checked Will service at www.graylawyers.com.au or contact us to discuss how we can give you the peace of mind of knowing your estate planning affairs are in order.