New online Wills service gives the 50 per cent of Aussies without one the chance to act today

14 January 2020

Maurice Blackburn national head of Will disputes Andrew Simpson said more than half of Australians do not have a Will, and the New Year is the perfect time to act on this.

“We know from our own research that more than half of Australians do not have a Will and of those, almost 40% have no idea what happens to their assets if they pass away without a Will,” Mr Simpson said.

“That’s why we are urging all Australians to add drafting a Will to their New Year to-do list – this is a time when many people typically try to get things organised for the year ahead and this must include a Will.

“People are often good at ensuring they have things like house and car insurances in place, but we know this does not extend to Wills – despite a Will being a crucial document that protects all of your assets and your wishes.

“Our research has also shown that of those surveyed (approximately 1,200 respondents nationally aged 18 years and over), 40% of people without a Will had thought about making one but were yet to do so, while 30% felt they didn’t have anything of value to leave.

“This reflects what we hear each day – that a significant proportion of the Australian adult population don’t have a Will, that those who don’t have a Will are highly misinformed about why a Will is important, with many people in the dark about what actually happens if you pass away without a Will, including the difficulties this may pose for your family,” he said.

Mr Simpson said another barrier to people seeking a Will was the misconception that preparing a Will could be a difficult and time consuming process, irrespective of their circumstances.

“Drafting a Will is crucial, and that’s why it is important to make this process as time efficient and simple as possible,” Mr Simpson said.

“That’s why our firm is launching a new online Wills platform from this week that will allow people to complete an application for a Will in their own time and in their own environment, but with the comfort of this still being drafted by a lawyer – using the best of technology to make Wills more accessible.”

For more information about Maurice Blackburn’s new online wills product visit: www.mauriceblackburn.com.au/createmywill

Media inquiries:

Jade Knight at Maurice Blackburn on 0417 969 438 or jknight@mauriceblackburn.com.au.

Practice Areas:

Wills and Estates