True to our word, we’ve made creating a Will a simple four step process. Many other parties like to complicate things - we make it easy.
Cost is just NZ$149 including GST for a SimpleWill.
A Will enables you to determine which people and/or organisations will receive your assets when you pass away, as well as who will manage this process. A Will also allows you to make other specific directions, such as the appointment of guardians for your children. A Will can save considerable time and cost with the administration of your estate, and can also provide assurance to your family and friends that your assets are being dealt with as you would have wished.
If you die without a Will you are deemed to have died ‘intestate’, and your assets will be distributed in accordance with the Administration Act (1969). The Administration Act prescribes which of your family members are to receive what, and in what shares. This process is inflexible and often results in a distribution of assets that does not align with what people might have wanted or expected. This can also be a costly process, and can cause considerable distress both to those who are trying manage your affairs as well as to your wider family members.
Everyone over the age of 18 should have a Will, especially those who have children, or whose assets exceed $15,000 (including KiwiSaver and life insurance policies).
If you get married, a Will signed before marriage is deemed invalid and you will need to write a new Will.
If your relationship or wider circumstances change, you may wish to change who you would like to provide for on your death.
SimpleWills is brought to you by a number of New Zealand's leading financial services practitioners. We see too many Kiwi’s who haven’t prepared a Will simply because they think it is expensive or hard. However, putting together a Will is a simple four step process. Why make it difficult when you can make it easy?
Frequently Asked Questions. Here are some commonly asked questions about Wills.
One of life’s ‘must haves’ is a Will. A Will is a written document that simply states what you’d like to have happen to your money, possessions, and assets when you die. Your Will is the way to avoid any arguments and conflict among your beneficiaries and give speedy access to needed funds during a time of grief.
Your Will is a key document in the process of distributing your assets—including life insurance and investments—in a timely and hassle-free way. It is your way of making sure your stuff goes where, or to whom, you want it to and not somewhere else.
No. The majority of New Zealanders don’t have a valid Will. They either haven’t had one written, or can’t remember where the document might be. They may also have avoided the process, in the belief that it is overly complicated and costly.
This means that their wishes for the protection of their family, and distribution of assets, might not be fulfilled.
SimpleWills offers a cost-effective, user-friendly, and simple way to have this legally binding document protecting your wishes.
We’ve created SimpleWills so that you, your family, and other loved ones, have the assurance that the assets which you have acquired throughout your life will move through the process without delay, and be appropriately distributed - thanks to your Will.
No. SimpleWills recommends that if anything happens to change in your life, your relationships, or your family situation, then a new document should be produced. Again, SimpleWills makes this straightforward and cost effective.
The majority of Wills are usually straightforward to develop and administer. SimpleWills has been developed for such cases. For situations which are more complex, or involve a variety of parties and legal structures, dealing with a lawyer is the best option.
The SimpleWills process and resulting Will has been vetted by lawyers to ensure any document produced is legally binding if executed correctly by the Testator.
SimpleWills does not store Wills on behalf of anyone. Once created, we recommend that the Will is stored in a secure place - somewhere people can find the document.
You definitely need a Will when you are getting married (or are already married or in a matrimonial relationship or civil union). But you should also have a Will when you own stuff (e.g. cars, possessions, KiwiSaver, etc) or when you have particular causes or people that you wish to continue to support. Finally, if you have separated or divorced then you should be aware that this does not automatically cancel a prior Will, so you might want to re-consider things in those circumstances too.
Just NZ$149 including GST per Will.
