Making a Will is simpler than you think
The Will Writing team at State Trustees have all practiced law at various firms across Victoria. They bring a wealth of knowledge to State Trustees, support every client to feel confident and at ease.
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Meet our expert team
We can help you prepare a will that reflects your unique wishes and circumstances, and also assist with setting up powers of attorney, so that a trusted person can make decisions on your behalf if needed. We can also guide you through nominating an executor, whether that’s a person you trust or a professional organisation like State Trustees.
In the video below, Grace Di Mauro, Wills Manager takes you through the will-writing journey to get you comfortable with the process of creating a State Trustees will that suits your needs.
See How Simple Creating Your Will Can Be
Watch Grace Di Mauro, our Wills Manager, guide you through the will-writing journey.
Schedule your Will Appointment
What is a will and why is it important?
A will is a legal document that outlines your instructions about who you want to inherit your estate (including pets), care for your children and be your executor.
When you die, your assets are referred to as your ‘estate’. Your estate can include things such as real estate (so, property), your car, bank accounts, other personal items (such as jewellery) and even your beloved pet.
There are other complex circumstances that we can help you with as well – such as:Â
- How to deal with your small business after you die,Â
- What to do if you’re a beneficiary of a trust or would like to establish one in your Will,Â
- Or if you’d like to donate to a charitable cause.
A will must be a written physical document, signed and witnessed in a specific way – no videos or voice recordings are acceptable. Â
By law, a will can only be for one person, meaning couples both need a Will each. That being said, we offer couples appointments and can mirror your Wills so they are prepared in the same terms (which is very common for couples). Â
A Will Appointment is a service that caters to everyone– whether your wishes are simple or complex. The professional will writer meets with you in person to guide you through the decisions that need to be made and answers your questions as you go. Â
Did you know?
Couples need individual wills, but we offer convenient couple appointments with mirror will options.
The will writing process: 3 simple steps
Meeting with any professional can be daunting, however our team of will writers is here to make the process easy for you. With care and expertise, we’ll guide you through each step of creating your will, to give you peace of mind that your financial and legal affairs are in order. Â
Our Will Writers write wills for people of all walks of life and can draft a Will that will give effect to your unique wishes and circumstances.
Book a Will Appointment
Book online or call 1300 138 672
1. Before your Will Appointment
Ahead of your appointment you will be asked to complete a pre-appointment questionnaire. We will send this to you via email, or by post if requested.  It’s important for us to get to know you and your unique circumstances before we meet, so that your appointment runs as smoothly as possible, and your will is as unique as you are.
Think of going to the supermarket without a shopping list:Â Â
You might remember some of the things you need, but you’re likely to forget important items. That might mean another trip to the supermarket, wasting your time and effort.  Similarly, if you don’t complete your pre-appointment questionnaire before your Will Appointment, important details could be missed – making it harder for us to create a Will that truly fits your needs.
It might also mean that you require an additional appointment, which could ultimately delay the Will making process.
The pre-appointment questionnaire asks for important information including:Â
- Your personal details, relationship status and historyÂ
- Details of your spouse and any children (including who you would like to look after them)Â
- Details about the assets that you own – including property, bank accounts, investments, vehicles, superannuation and other personal itemsÂ
- Any liabilities and debts (such as your mortgage or other loans)Â
- Insurance policies Â
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In some instances, you may not have all of these details (such as the value of your home or super) or you may find it tricky to get them all in time for your appointment. That’s fine – these things won’t prevent us from preparing a customized will for you. Simply complete the questionnaire as best you can, but don’t worry if you can’t fill it all in.Â
Pre-Appointment Checklist
Get answers to all your questions
2. During your Will Appointment
For your appointment, we’ll ask you to bring two things:Â
- Photo ID – such as your current drivers’ license or passport Â
- Your pre-appointment questionnaire (if you weren’t able to provide it to us in advance)Â
We’ll discuss: Â
- Appointing an executor – this is a trusted person or company (such as State Trustee), who will manage your estate according to the wishes outlined in your Will Â
- Specific gifts to your loved ones Â
- Nominating a preferred guardian to take care of minor childrenÂ
- Nominating a willing caregiver for your pets Â
- Donating to a charity or a cause – which you can do either directly or via State Trustees.Â
- Provisions for any Trusts to be established upon your death Â
- And finally – How to distribute your residual estate
3. Finalising your will
Once we’ve prepared your will, we’ll read it over with you to make sure you’re comfortable with it.  Once we confirm that it reflects your wishes, you’ll sign the will in the presence of two witnesses – and the result is a legally valid will.  Â
We can safely store your original Will in the Victorian Wills and Powers of Attorney Registry and give you a copy to take home.Â
After you make your Will, you should get in touch with us if your circumstances change. We can meet with you again to prepare a new Will that suits your updated circumstances such as having children, getting married or divorced, or buying or selling assets such as property.
Something many people are surprised by is the fact that your Will is revoked when you get married (unless you made your Will in contemplation of that marriage). This means that any previous Wills you made become invalid, and you would need to create a new one to reflect your current wishes and circumstances. Â
On the other hand, if you get divorced, your Will remains valid and only the parts in your Will that favour your former spouse are automatically revoked (for example, any gifts made to them or their appointment as your Executor).
Transparent fees and charges
Our State Trustees fees are transparent and fair. We itemise all services so clients have a clear understanding of costs before choosing our services. There are no surprise invoices or unexpected fees.
Need help? Our team is here to answer your questions. Call 1300 138 672.
Did you know?
Your will is automatically revoked upon marriage unless made in contemplation of that marriage. Contact us to learn more about updating your will after major life changes
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