Most probate courts only accept the original “wet-signed” copy of a Testator’s Will. The intent is to ensure it’s an authentic and valid Original Will. In order to help define Testator’s intent as to what is a controlling Original Will, WillDriver documents the following:

• Title and execution date of the Will;
• names and contact information of Witnesses to the signing or the Testator’s acknowledgment of the signature of the Will, and;
• location of the Will.

All named Testators, Executors and Witnesses to the Will receive an email notification requesting an acknowledgement action to confirm their role in Original Will execution and that Original Will information is true and correct. All authenticating actions are recorded as part of an Intent Audit that may be downloaded as a report.

At probate court, an Original Will is required to evidence the Testator’s intent. In the event that an Original Will has been lost or destroyed, probate courts generally assume that the Testator intended to destroy the Will, the result being that the court will default to intestate distribution of assets (i.e., the deceased died without a Will). Under intestate law, formulas for equal distribution among next of kin are applied irrespective of what was specified in the Will. Thus, special bequests and outlier beneficiaries beyond first generation offspring will be disregarded.

Copies of Wills can be submitted to a probate court, but they require strong evidentiary proof that substantiates the validity of the copy and that the original was not revoked by the Testator.

WillDriver’s Acknowledgement System sends email notifications to all named Testators and Executors of the Will requesting an acknowledgement action to confirm their role in Original Will execution and that an uploaded Copy of Will is a true and intended Copy of Will. Further, Testators and Executors are sent periodic acknowledgement emails (annually) requesting confirmation that no superseding documents have been created. All authentication actions are recorded as part of an Intent Audit that may be downloaded as a report.

The validity of a Will may depend upon proving that it was made by a Testator of sound mind, with awareness of the Testator’s assets and potential heirs, and done so free from coercion or undue influence. In order to help define Testator’s state of mind, email notifications are sent to all named Testators and Executors, both initially upon account opening and periodically on an annual basis, requesting an authentication action to confirm that the Testator was of sound mind at the time of execution. All confirmations are included in the Intent Audit Report.

WillDriver charges memberships by Will Record. If multiple married spouses have one Will together as a marital unit, then only one Will Record is required to protect their joint Will. Will Record accounts can be paid for and maintained by a Testator (Will owners such as spouses) or Executor (attorneys and trustees) of a Legacy Team.

Yes. A married couple with a Joint Will may open a single Will Record Account at WillDriver. In such cases, a single payment administrator to the account must be named with others being added as free Legacy Team members to the Will Record account.

Yes. Executors can open and pay for a Will Record account. In such case, the Executor may also add Testators, Witnesses and additional Executors to view the Will Record as part of a Legacy Team.

Yes. Anyone, including investment planners and attorneys may join the WillDriver Affiliates Program to earn sales commissions. This program offers fixed fee commissions on first sales to a customer as well as a Cascading Distributors’ Commission for Up-Line Distributors. The program requires a nothing-down one-time initiation fee (fee subtracted from your first commissions). Sales commissions from opening an account for your own use are honored so you’ll derive sales commission from selling to yourself. For more information, see Affiliates Program »

No. WillDriver is not a Will drafting or authoring service. Contact your attorney or use an online resource, then come back to WillDriver to safeguard your Will and estate documents.