Why Might You Need a Will Copy?
Almost everybody at some point in their life makes a Will. This means that when you or someone else passes away the things left behind go to who you want it to be given or where you want it to go. But how do you get a copy of said Will?
First of all, let’s discuss why you would need a copy of the Will to begin with.
One reason may be that someone that you know has recently died, whether that was a family member or a close friend, and you may want to find out whether you have been left anything in their Will
An additional reason could be that you are suspicious of the Will and want more information to decide whether you should make a claim to challenge the validity of the Will
In addition, you may disagree with the WIll or feel like you didn’t get the share in the Will that you deserved, you might want to know if you can make a claim for a larger share of the Estate
How to Obtain a Will Copy
The easiest method to obtain a copy of a Will is through the probate search service offered by the government. However, if you require the Will for formal purposes, it is not possible to get a sealed copy this way – the best way to get a sealed copy is to fill in a PA1S form and post it to them. Another method that can be used is to order and download the Will that you need, then post it to the Registry with a stamped and addressed envelope and request for it to be sealed.
If the person who’s Will you want is still alive, you can only get a copy of their Will from them. Usually nobody but the person who created the Will is entitled to see their Will or know its contents – although sometimes certain attorneys are entitled to see it to ensure certain wishes are being met. When the person dies, only the executor is entitled to have a copy of the Will, and only the executor can decide whether others can have copies. Although, if probate is required and has been granted, the Will then becomes public domain, and anyone can access it
If grant of probate is never obtained, the only method to get a copy of the Will is to ask the executor. However, the executor is not legally required to give anyone a copy of the Will and so it is completely up to them as to whether you can have a copy of the Will.
For whatever the reason may be, we hope that you know have a better idea about how to get a copy of a Will and have alleviated a bit of the confusion surrounding it.
