Technology has outpaced the law. In the United Kingdom, the Law Commission is proposing a radical overhaul of inheritance laws so that people will be able to use notes, voicemail and text messages to make their wills. Current UK law regarding wills dates back to 1839; it states that a will needs to be written and signed by the testator as well as two witnesses to be valid. The new proposal would give new powers to county and high court judges to to decide on the balance of probabilities whether a recording or note could be an accurate summary of a person’s wishes. For example, a recording of deathbed changes of heart could override an existing valid will. The new proposal also suggests changing the law about mental capacity to make it easier to assess whether someone with dementia is able to make a will. For the complete article, follow our link
Could a text become your will? The plans to revolutionise ‘outdated’ legacy system
By Olivia Rudgard | The Telegraph
People will be able to use voicemail and text messages to make their wills, under a radical overhaul of inheritance laws proposed by the Government’s legal advisors.
The Law Commission has branded the current legacy system ‘outdated’ and recommends it be revolutionised to keep up with the digital age.
Under present laws, which date back to 1839, wills need to be written and signed by the ‘testator’ as well as two witnesses in order to be valid. [Read entire article]
