Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in Michigan

My sister and I have a set up wills to leave each other as inheritors of each other's estate. Is there any way I can take those paper-based wills and put them online for safety and still have them be legal documents from the online storage? I am really trying to make sure that if I lose the physical copy in some emergency that I have access to the wills online...

Asked on 9/21/17, 1:09 pm

2 Answers from Attorneys

John Tatone John R. Tatone & Associates PLC

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Yes and No. The court will require the original document to open an estate without a hearing. That being said, a copy printed from a computer may be used in court after a hearing where a judge confirms that it is an authentic copy of the will. Another option in Michigan is to file the wills with the probate court now (put a copy on your computer as well) for a small fee. Just let the family know where to look. Lately, I have produced Estate Planning packages that may interest you and your sister and may allow you and she to avoid probate court altogether. Wills must go through the probate process. Also, what documents are in place to pay your bills and make medical decisions if you or your sister are unable to make those decisions? Feel free to contact me in more detail if you would like to discuss options in more detail. 586-580-8850 or [email protected]

Answered on 9/21/17, 1:45 pm

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