After drafting your will and other crucial documents, you need to find a reliable place to keep them. It’s vital to choose a safe location that your executor can easily access.
Here are five locations to consider:
With your attorney
Some people keep their wills in their attorney’s office instead of at home. If your attorney is willing to store your will, consider doing so.
At home
A locked filing cabinet at home can be a great place to keep your will. You can also keep it in a personal safe resistant to fire, flood, burglary and other elements.
At your local probate court
If your jurisdiction allows you to store your will at your local probate court, you can do so. However, get adequate information regarding confidentiality. Will the information in your will be considered a public record after filing it with the Clerk of Court in your county?
In a safe deposit box
This is not one of the most recommended options. Nonetheless, if you believe keeping your will and other documents in a deposit box is a suitable option, talk to your bank. Ensure that your executor or another loved one is a joint owner or a deputy. This way, they can access the box. If you fail to do this, your loved ones may have to go to court to get an order to give them access to the box, which can be time-consuming and stressful.
With an online document storage service
You can store the digital copy of your will on your hard drive and/or upload it to an online document storage service. Your executor will file the hard copy during probate, but it doesn’t hurt to have a backup.
Once you have chosen a location to store your will, inform your executor sooner. You should also consider legal guidance to make informed decisions.