Estate planning and COVID-19: How can I get my will signed?

We have had a lot of people reach out and ask about the ability to complete their estate plan during the pandemic. In response, our office has put the following procedures in place.

We are conducting initial consultations and document review of your estate documents (will, trust, power of attorney, advanced medical directive to name a few) over the phone and via video conferencing. Once our clients are happy with the plan we have put in place we are either getting documents to clients in PDF form and walking them through how to complete a signing or scheduling signings at our office outside our building.

Execution of a will in Virginia requires two witnesses and a notary be present when the testator signs or directs a will to be signed. Therefore, in order to schedule a signing out front of our office we are asking that our clients certify that they have not traveled for 14 days, have not been sick in 14 days, that no one in their house has been sick in 14 days, and ask that they wear gloves. We are providing a pen that they can take with them once the signing is complete. We conduct the signing outside and respect the 6 foot spacing rule. We also ask clients to wear masks.

If you have questions about estate and elder law, our attorneys would be happy to meet with you virtually during this time to discuss your family and your estate goals.  You can set up an initial consultation by calling (804) 423.1382 or emailing us at info@wmmlegal.com.  We are here to help.