Safewill
Safewill is an online service for preparing Wills and other end-of-life planning documents.
What Safewill is
Safewill is an online service for preparing Wills and other end-of-life planning documents. Users can start writing a Will for free and pay when submitting it for review. Its question-based process, prepared by Australian lawyers, is intended to help users prepare a Will in about 20 minutes. Safewill’s legal team reviews submitted Wills and flags issues; the Essentials review is stated to take 10–15 business days. After review, the Will is emailed to print and sign before two independent witnesses. The Essentials Will costs 160.00 AUD once, including GST, and includes a year of updates. The Customised Will costs 359.00 AUD once, including GST, and includes bespoke drafting, personalised legal advice, and a complimentary consultation through affiliate firm Safewill Legal. Medical and financial Powers of Attorney cost 99.00 AUD once. Unlimited Will updates after the included year are optional at $15 per year. The service is available on Android, iOS, and the web. Safewill says it suits most Will-writing needs, but it is not a law firm or a substitute for advice on complex estate planning.
Good
- Start a Will for free and pay when submitting for review
- Legal team reviews submitted Wills and flags issues
- Customised Will includes a complimentary legal consultation
- Offers financial and medical Powers of Attorney
- Available on Android, iOS, and the web
Watch out
- Essentials review takes 10–15 business days
- A Will must be printed and signed before two witnesses
- Complex estate planning may require a lawyer’s advice
Who it suits
Safewill may suit people with most Will-writing needs who want an online process and legal team review. Its own guidance points people with complex estate matters toward its affiliate law firm and notes it is not a substitute for a lawyer’s advice.
Verdict
Safewill offers an online route for preparing and reviewing Wills, with a more tailored option and Powers of Attorney. Its service is described as suitable for most needs, not as a replacement for advice on complex estate matters.
Plans and prices
From Safewill's own pricing page, checked 8 Oct 2001.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Will updates subscription | $15 a year | Optional · unlimited Will updates · digital storage · $80 unlocking fee may apply if access lapses · $15/year; auto-renews annually unless opted out |
| Power of Attorney | A$99, paid once | Medical and financial Power of Attorney documents · The page states “a price of just $99” |
| Essentials Will | A$160, paid once | Australian Will · legal team review · 1 year of updates included · thereafter unlimited updates are $15/yr · AUD incl. GST |
| Customised Will | A$359, paid once | Personalised legal advice · bespoke drafting · excluding potential beneficiaries · priority 3–5 business day legal review · AUD incl. GST |
The facts
Each one read from Safewill's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Audience and limits
- Safewill says its online service suits most Will-writing needs, while complex estate matters can be handled by its affiliate law firm; it is not a law firm or substitute for a lawyer’s advice on complex estate planning.checked 8 Oct 2001
- Custom Will
- The Customised Will includes options such as rights of residence, Wills made in contemplation of marriage or divorce, and additional backup executors and beneficiaries.checked 8 Oct 2001
- Legal consultation
- The Customised Will includes access to a complimentary legal consultation through affiliate law firm Safewill Legal.checked 8 Oct 2001
- Payments
- Safewill says it does not store or log credit card information and that payments are processed by Stripe, a PCI-DSS Level 1 compliant provider.checked 8 Oct 2001
- Power of Attorney
- The platform offers financial and medical Powers of Attorney for decisions when a person is alive but unable to make their own decisions.checked 8 Oct 2001
- Purpose
- Safewill is an online platform for creating Wills and other end-of-life planning documents.checked 8 Oct 2001
- Review
- Safewill’s legal team reviews submitted Wills and flags issues; the Essentials review is stated to take 10–15 business days.checked 8 Oct 2001
- Security certification
- Safewill says it is ISO 27001 certified and encrypts data in transit using TLS and sensitive data at rest.checked 8 Oct 2001
- Signing requirement
- After review, the Will is emailed to the user to print and sign in front of two independent witnesses.checked 8 Oct 2001
- Support
- Safewill offers customer support by online chat and phone at 1800 10 33 10.checked 8 Oct 2001
- Updates limit
- One year of unlimited Will updates is included with purchase; ongoing unlimited updates are optional and cost $15 per year.checked 8 Oct 2001
- Will creation
- The site says users can prepare a Will in about 20 minutes using questions prepared by Australian lawyers.checked 8 Oct 2001
Money
- Free start
- Users can start writing a Will for free and pay when they submit it for review.checked 8 Oct 2001
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