Remote Estate Planning: There’s a Way for a Will
Even when remote, it’s not too late to do your estate planning
By Beth Taylor | Reviewed by Canaan Suitt, J.D. | Last updated on January 22, 2024 Featuring practical insights from contributing attorneys Marve Ann M. Alaimo and Mary Merrell BaileyUse these links to jump to different sections:
- Where There’s a Will There’s a Way to Make It Valid
- Remote Notarization
- Remote Witnesses for Wills
- Health Care Surrogate and Living Wills Documents
- Plan in Advance with the Help of an Estate Planning Lawyer
There’s no doubt it’s harder to estate plan when remote—especially when circumstances make it necessary, as in a pandemic or other crisis—but estate planning attorneys say it can still be done. They caution people against opting for self-help legal forms.
“It’s still important to get proper advice,” says Marve Ann M. Alaimo, with Porter Wright Morris & Arthur in Naples, Florida. “Many estate planning attorneys are able to consult with clients by phone or through audio-video applications. Documents can be sent to and from clients electronically to minimize personal contact.”
It’s only natural to be feeling concerned about estate planning during a time of crisis. “Best thing is: Don’t panic,” advises Mary Merrell Bailey at Your Caring Law Firm in Winter Park, Florida. “If you don’t have an estate plan, you are not alone. Most adults in the United States do not have documents.”
Still, it’s worth the extra effort to make an estate plan. “If you don’t have a durable power of attorney, health care surrogate, living will, last will and testament, revocable living trust, etc., it is more difficult and more expensive for loved ones to handle your affairs for you, and you lose much control over who makes decisions and who will inherit your wealth,” says Bailey.
Where There’s a Will There’s a Way to Make It Valid
Getting documents signed remotely can be a bit of a challenge, but it can often be accomplished. “There may be ways to facilitate that,” says Alaimo.
Remote Notarization
“Some documents can be remotely notarized. Not all documents require notaries to be valid so that formality could be dispensed with for the time being.”
For the documents that do require notarization (like a valid will), Bailey says more and more states are allowing that to be done remotely. “This means that you may meet online, not in person, with the notary and get your documents legally signed,” she says.
Remote Witnesses for Wills
However, getting a will or other document witnessed can be a more daunting task. In Florida, state law allowed remote witnessing beginning July 1, 2020. “[Before then],” says Alaimo, “certain family members [could] serve as witnesses for certain documents, especially if those family members [played] no significant role or [got] any unusual benefit.”
Health Care Surrogate and Living Wills Documents
If you do end up in a hospital and haven’t yet gotten your documents in order, you can at least ask the facility for health care surrogate and living will documents:
Health Care Surrogate
“Your surrogate for health care decisions is the person (or persons) whom you want to be allowed to step in your shoes and ‘be you,’ legally, to make informed-consent medical care decisions to keep you alive because the doctors believe you will recover,” says Bailey.
Living Will
“Your agent under the living will is the person whom you want to be allowed to step in your shoes and ‘be you,’ legally, to ‘pull the plug’ and remove your artificial life support so you can die a natural death if you are unable to communicate yourself and at least two physicians have said there is no hope that you will recover,” Bailey explains.
Plan in Advance with the Help of an Estate Planning Lawyer
Much better to get things done ahead of time. “Planning in advance,” says Bailey, “gives you control, increases your options, makes it much easier for your loved ones to help you, and is far less expensive overall.”
Visit the Super Lawyers directory to find an experienced wills and estate planning lawyer in your area. For more information on this area of law, such as naming beneficiaries and the probate court process, see our overviews of estate planning, wills, trusts, and probate and estate administration.
What do I do next?
Enter your location below to get connected with a qualified attorney today.Additional Wills articles
- What is Wills Law?
- How Much Does a Lawyer Charge To Write a Will?
- Different Types of Wills
- What Makes a Will Valid?
- What Happens if You Die Without a Will?
- What Is the Difference Between a Will and a Trust?
- What Is a Will and Why Do I Need One?
- What’s the Difference Between a Living Will and a Will?
- Can I Draft a Will Without a Lawyer?
State Wills articles
Related topics
At Super Lawyers, we know legal issues can be stressful and confusing. We are committed to providing you with reliable legal information in a way that is easy to understand. Our legal resources pages are created by experienced attorney writers and writers that specialize in legal content in consultation with the top attorneys that make our Super Lawyers lists. We strive to present information in a neutral and unbiased way, so that you can make informed decisions based on your legal circumstances.
Attorney directory searches
Helpful links
Find top lawyers with confidence
The Super Lawyers patented selection process is peer influenced and research driven, selecting the top 5% of attorneys to the Super Lawyers lists each year. We know lawyers and make it easy to connect with them.
Find a lawyer near you