How to write a Digital Will
Where there's a will, there's less confusion for legal heirs. In fact, this piece of paper outlining the final allocation of one's assets is a crucial step in financial planning. Legally speaking, all you need to do is jot down how you want to pass on your property after death, sign this piece of paper, and get it attested by two independent witnesses, who don't stand to gain from your will.
However, in this golden age of technology, people are no longer settling for a simple penning of wills. Instead, they are increasingly opting for more stylish options, such as video-recorded andonline wills. Says Sandeep Nerlekar, CEO and MD, Warmond Trustees & Executors: "People have started realising the importance of a will and no longer rely on the simple version. They want to make it safer, so these new variants have cropped up."
However, no matter which option you choose, you need to have a physical copy of the will. "This is because India does not have a central agency that recognises digitised signatures," explains Rajesh Gupta, partner at SN Gupta &, a leading law firm.
Video-recorded will
In this case, the signing of the will by the testator and the two witnesses is recorded on a video camera. The will has to be prepared before the cameras start rolling; a mere recitation of the document's contents is not accepted.
"When the execution process-where the will is duly signed by the trio involved-is recorded, it becomes difficult to question the genuineness of a will. So, getting a probate is comparatively easy," says Richa Karpe, co-founder and ED, Altamount Capital. She adds, "Generally, the person who has been left out in the will challenges it on the grounds that it wasn't executed properly. If the process is recorded on camera, this problem won't arise."
A probate is a copy of the will that is certified by a court and can be granted only to the executor appointed by the will. This is mandatory in case there is no will or if there is a problem with the existing one. However, given that a will becomes inviolate after it is probated (that is, nobody can file a law suit against it on the grounds that the testator was of unsound mind), the process is highly recommended by experts in any case.
Incidentally, Video-recorded wills are also accepted by the Indian courts. In October 2009, while deciding a 1985 case seeking the grant of a will, the Delhi High Court had ruled that video recording of a will is a legally admissible evidence.
Succession planning firms typically charge around `5,000 to record the execution of a will. As wills do not require the presence of a lawyer, you can choose to record the process for free on your personal camcorder, but then you'll lose out on a key advantage of using professional firms, namely, safe custody of both your will and the video.
Online will
Several web portals and companies now allow you to make your will online. "The making of online wills is picking up as many people do not have the time to sit with a lawyer and discuss the will in detail," says Nerlekar. Warmond Trustees & Executors, for instance, has introduced the InstaWILL service, where a customer gives instructions online and receives a customised will on e-mail within a week.
To make an online will, you'll have to register on the website of the company. The portal will give you access to an application, which will help you draft the will. All you need to do is answer the questions and leave the drafting to them. An online will would cost you around Rs 10,000. Many websites abroad, such as the UK-based Q-Will and US-based legacywriter.com, also offer templates from which you can choose the one that suits your needs, while others offer a one-size-fits-all standard template. However, in India, this service has just picked up, so there are not many options in the market.
Once you fill in the relevant details, the service provider will e-mail a draft of your will, which you need to print and sign. You'll subsequently have to get it attested by two witnesses. Some portals like warmond.co.in allow you to store a copy of the will on the Net and make changes without registering afresh. On the other hand, some portals simply allow you to upload and store a scanned copy of the will. This online option works best for someone who is very clear of how he wants to distribute his assets and does not require any guidance. Don't forget that you will still need to keep a physical copy of the will with you.
Digital will
Don't confuse this with the online will. A digital will isn't a process or an alternative to supplement the plain vanilla paper will. It is a special type of will that allow you to pass on your online 'properties', such as your social networking account or an e-mail account. "Just as you make a will for your financial assets, you can make one for your online accounts too," says Nerlekar. This is becoming increasingly important because our accounts contain a lot of private information about us as well as that of our friends and families and, hence, pose a significant threat if hacked.
Most e-mail service providers and social networking companies have death policies that determine what will happen to your account on your death. For instance, Yahoo and Flickr permanently delete all your accounts and their contents on receiving a copy of your death certificate. What if you want to preserve your digital legacy? This is where a digital will comes in. "If you leave a digital will, the e-mail service provider will hand over your account details to the person named in the will," says Nerlekar.
Though any law firm can help you make a digital will, you don't necessarily need a lawyer for this process. You can also integrate your digital legacy with a standard will. However, take into account the death policy of your social networking site while drafting the will.
WHAT EVERY WILL SHOULD HAVE
No matter how you make your will, keep these things in mind:
1. Clearly mention the people to whom you wish to pass on your wealth. Don't use nicknames or incomplete names.
2. If the property is quantifiable, such as cash, mention it clearly.
3. Where it cannot be quantified, give a clear description of the property.
4. The attesting witness or his spouse should not benefit from the will in any way.
5. Appoint an executor for your will. He is a person who will see that your directions are carried out in the manner stated in your will.
6. Though it's not mandatory, have a probate for your will. It establishes the legal capacity of the person writing it.
Source: ET
Best Regards
Prakash Nair
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