Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a Digital Wills+ Membership?
A Digital Wills+ Membership is $85 per year. As an AdviceFirst client you can receive a discounted rate on the first year of your membership.
Can I cancel my membership whenever I like?
Yes – you can cancel your Digital Wills+ Membership at any time. All you need to do is email us at footprint@advicefirst.co.nz requesting your cancellation.
If you cancel part way through the year of your subscription your cancellation will take effect at your renewal date. You will not receive a refund. You will still have access to all features of your Digital Wills+ Membership until the end of your subscription term.
Full terms and conditions can be found here.
Can I appoint my own executor?
You can appoint any person you trust to be your executor – this may be a close relative, friend, or a professional. However, there are a few things you need to consider when appointing an executor. Click here to find out more.
Can my partner and I share one Will?
Joint Wills are not offered in New Zealand. Therefore, everyone in a relationship is required to write their own separate Will from their partner/s.
You and your partner can express similar wishes in your Wills. However, you need to ensure you have written your own individual Will.
How can I make sure I sign my Will correctly?
Once you have drafted and reviewed your online Will, you will need to print it single sided from your Digital Wills+ Membership account. To sign your Will, you need two witnesses who are over the age of 18 and who are not named in your Will. Both you and your two witnesses will need to initial each page of your Will.
Signing your Will incorrectly could lead to making it invalid, so ensure you follow the instructions included in your Digital Wills+ Membership closely. You can find helpful tips here.
How will my family access my Will after I am gone?
It is a good idea to ensure the important people in your life are aware of your Will’s existence and location. Included in your membership is a notification function on your dashboard that enables you to advise your loved ones regarding your Wills existence and where it is stored.
Once you pass away, only your Executor will be able to access your Will after providing proof of their identity.
Who needs a Will?
If you are over 18 years of age and have assets with a combined value of $15k or more, you should have a Will.
Assets include your car, your KiwiSaver savings, any properties you own, jewellery, clothing, furniture, savings accounts, etc.
If you do not have a Will and you have $15k or more in assets when you pass, New Zealand legislation will determine how your assets are divided. If you have children that depend on you, NZ legislation will also decide who is to take care of them. This can become a very long and expensive processes without a Will.
Can my Will include overseas assets?
As each country has their own legislation, and your executor would be managing your overseas assets from New Zealand, some choose to have a Will that is valid in each individual country to their assets. Click here for more information.
Should I keep a physical copy of my Will too?
If you would like to, you can choose to send a physical (correctly signed and witnessed) copy of your Will to Footprint and they will store it in their secure, earthquake and fireproof location. Unsubscribing from your Digital Will+ Membership will not affect this – so you will continue to have secure storage of your physical Will.
Click here for more information.
Can the executor of my Will also be a beneficiary?
It is legally acceptable for the executor of your Will to also be a beneficiary.
However, should your Will get challenged, having an executor who is a beneficiary could be seen as a conflict of interest. Therefore, some people prefer to keep these two roles separate, but it is always up to you.
Should I seek financial advice before writing my digital Will?
With a Digital Wills+ Membership you can easily create your own Will via Footprint’s solicitor approved platform.
It is up to you whether you would like to seek financial advice before writing a Will. However, writing your Will is a good opportunity to consider your financial situation in greater depth. If you would like expert advice to ensure your insurance, investments or KiwiSaver funds are on the right track, you can call us at 0800 438 238 or email us at letstalk@advicefirst.co.nz. We are always happy to help.
What would happen to the beneficiaries of my Will if they were under 18 years old?
The legal age to receive inheritance in New Zealand is 18 years old. If you are leaving anything to anyone under the age of 18 in your Will (for example your children) it will be held by the executor of your Will until they turn 18. This money can be made available before then for certain things like education or child support for example.
Terms and Conditions
Click here to read our Digital Wills+ Membership Terms and Conditions