E-signature Evolution: The Pros and Cons of Electronic Wills

The best document to use when capturing this information is a will. A will is a legal document that indicates the amount of your property each selected person should get. A will also state how a minor should receive care. Having a will lessens conflicts between family members in case you die. There different kinds of wills. These include written wills, holographic wills, oral wills, mutual wills, pour-over wills electronic wills. The focus of this piece is to evaluate the pros and cons of electronic wills. 

What is an electronic will?

An electronic will is signed and kept in an electronic device like a computer. Additionally, an electronic will has done away with the need having a hard copy which is signed by a testator and witnesses. With the advancement in technology, there is now free digital signature software that makes it possible to have an electronic will. Technological advancement has made it possible to accomplish many tasks electronically. In this regard, some people may find the practice of writing a will and taking to a notary not only outdated but time-consuming. Therefore, for such people like millennials who want to accomplish every task on a computer, an electronic will is convenient. 

The electronic will is made possible by appending an e-signature to it. An e-signature is a symbol or a sound that approves the contents of a document. Currently, various sites offer digital signature solutions. In case you require one for your electronic will, it’s advisable to visit them.

Perks of electronic wills

There are a variety of advantages that you enjoy when you apply an electronic will. These are as follows:

• Convenience - Signing the will electronically is convenient because the procedure does not require any traveling. You only need a computer with a network within the comfort of your home to accomplish the task. This is good news for the sick and disabled who may not want to travel much. 
• Easy of storage - Storage of electronic will is made possible through computer technology. Unlike a physical will that you can easily misplace, it is challenging to lose an electronic will. The will is stored online where you can easily access it.
• Sharing - The sharing of an electronic will is simple as you can send it to any concerned part through their emails or other platforms. In case you stay away from each other, you quickly send the will to your children or any other relevant party.
• Lack of a printer - In case you lack a printer, an electronic will is the best alternative for you. You create it online and have it safely stored. You don’t need to struggle to look for a printer. By eliminating the need for a printout, electronic will makes it possible for people to sign even those in critical conditions.

Downsides of electronic wills

Although e-wills have many perks, they also have different disadvantages. These include:

• May not be convenient for people with massive assets - An electronic will is suitable for people with few assets. Such people can quickly sign the e-will without the need to travel to notaries and lawyers. However, in case you’ve accumulated massive assets, electronic wills may not be convenient for you. This is because you may forget some of your assets while signing the will. When you sit with a lawyer and witnesses, you’re guided step by step and chances of forgetting to mention some of your properties are minimal. Additionally, in case you’ve massive assets, it’s essential to desist from the temptation of sitting somewhere and signing the will yourself.
• Disinheriting some people - In case in your e-will you want to disinherit some people, and the move may open a legal battle in case you die. Probably, the people you’ve disowned may challenge that decision the court of law and win the case. Therefore, in this connection, in case you want to disinherit some people, it’s essential to use a written will that has witnessed and signed by lawyers and notarized.
• Not recognized by some states - In the US, for instance, many states have not approved e-wills. In case you move to such states, your e-will is invalidated. The electronic will is only valid in specific states. In case you want to migrate to the other states that don’t recognize it, it’s advisable to use a written will witnessed and signed by a lawyer. Otherwise, if a specific state does not recognize e-wills, your property will be distributed according to state laws in case you die. This means that the property will go to the people you didn’t mention in your e-will. Additionally, in case you had minors, and you had mentioned people to guard them, it’ll be difficult to enforce it, meaning that your children will remain without a caregiver.
• Forgetting - When crafting an e-will, you might forget some important pieces of information. The property that you forget to mention in your will might go to the state or different people. In this regard, in case you may forget capturing all your properties in e-will, it’s important to use a written will.
• Professionalism - When creating a will, you may gain from the inputs of various professionals like estate planners. However, when creating your will electronically, you may lack these inputs.

Conclusion 

During this current era of the customer signature app, you can virtually perform many tasks online. Online tasks enable you to lessen overheads when doing business. One of the critical areas where technology can be applied is the creation of electronic wills. The document signature software enables a person to create and sign a will electronically. This procedure has various cons and pros. This article has explained what an electronic will is and explored various pros and cons of such a will.