Creating a valid will is the only way to ensure your assets are disposed of exactly as you wish after you die. Yet so many people never create one. While the processes and language associated with willmaking may sound complex, a basic will is all that most people need. Below, in simple English, we’ve explained the fundamentals of creating a will – and even provided a template for drawing up a basic one.

Storage of a will

Last updated

1 July 2022

A will is an extremely important document. It should be kept in a secure place, and the executor appointed under the will told where it is.

If the original of a will is lost in the custody of the willmaker, there is a rebuttable presumption that it is revoked.

Therefore, wills should be kept in safe custody with a solicitor, trustee company, accountant or any other institution that will hold documents such as wills in safe custody.

If the willmaker wishes to keep the executed will, it should be stored with the willmaker’s legal documents.

Storing a will at the Probate Office

The Probate Office accepts wills for safekeeping under section 5A of the Administration and Probate Act 1958 (Vic).

To store a will with the Probate Office, the will must first be registered with the Probate Office using the Supreme Court’s RedCrest electronic filing system.

The fee for storing a will with the Probate Office is $24.50 (as at 1 July 2022).

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