Is there an online provision for making a Will? Is this valid compared to the one made with a lawyer?
Shikha Swarup, Mumbai
Yes, you can draw up a Will online without consulting a lawyer as long as your estate is not vast or complicated. If the nature of your wealth is such that you wish to distribute it between many people and in a complex manner by way of division, you may need a lawyer to structure the Will in a manner that your desires are met. The advantage of engaging a lawyer is that what you wish to leave will be properly drafted in the Will to reduce any potential conflict once you are not around.
For most people a simple online Will is good enough. However, depending on your faith and religion, you may wish to explore the impact of the applicable personal laws with respect to succession through a Will. This way you will be ensuring that what you wish to leave, is carried out as per your wishes and not face complications and trouble the inheritors.
When exploring online route to making a Will, ensure that the Will is duly executed in the manner set out in the Indian Succession Act, 1925. For this purpose, your Will should be executed by you in the presence of two witnesses who are competent and are not the beneficiaries under your Will. Further, the attesting witnesses must signature attest the Will as your attesting witnesses, in your presence and in the presence of each other, after they have seen you executing the Will.
