Finishing the will is the milestone people focus on. What happens afterwards is just as important and gets less attention. A will that sits in a forgotten drawer, that nobody can find, that's never updated when life changes - none of that helps the people you wrote it for. This guide walks through what happens after you complete your will with Trusted Hands: the signing, the storage, the conversations with executors, and how the document stays current as your life moves on.
Step 1 - Print and sign your will
Once you've finished the builder and paid the fixed fee, your will is available as a PDF in your account. Print it on plain paper - any standard printer will do. The PDF is formatted to print correctly without losing its layout.
You then sign and witness the document in line with section 9 of the Wills Act 1837. This is the step where most home-made wills fail, so we built the witness guide specifically to walk you through it. The guide covers:
- Who can be a witness (any adult of sound mind, but not a beneficiary or their spouse).
- The order in which everyone signs.
- What each person should write next to their signature (printed name, address, date).
- What to do if a mistake is made on the page.
You don't need to do this anywhere special. People often sign at home with two neighbours, at work with two colleagues, or at a friend's house. As long as everyone is in the same room at the same time and the witnesses see you sign (and you see them sign), you've met the legal requirements.
(If you haven't started yet and want to see how this works in practice, start your will online - the early sections are free.)
Step 2 - Store the original safely
The signed and witnessed paper document is the legally operative will. The digital copy in your account is a reference; it's not the document the probate registry will accept. So the original needs to live somewhere safe.
Common storage options:
- At home in a fireproof box. Cheap, accessible, easy to update. Tell your executors where the box is and how to open it.
- With your bank. Some banks still offer safe-deposit boxes; many no longer do. Check before assuming.
- With a will-storage service. Various providers store wills for an annual fee. The National Will Register is the most established.
- With a solicitor. If you have an existing relationship with a firm, they may store the original for you.
What matters is that the original is findable and retrievable by your executors. A perfectly drafted will that no one can locate is, in practical terms, no will at all.
Step 3 - The digital vault
The Trusted Hands digital vault sits inside your account and does two things at once:
- Stores a digital copy of the signed will (you can upload a scan or photo of the signed pages).
- Records the location of the original so executors can find it when needed.
You can also store related documents in the vault - a letter of wishes, contact details for your executors and beneficiaries, a list of digital accounts and how they're accessed, copies of property deeds, recent statements. None of these have legal weight on their own, but they make the executor's job dramatically easier when the time comes.
The vault isn't a replacement for the physical original. It's the place that keeps everything else in one organised location.
Step 4 - Tell your executors
Your executors are the people who actually carry out your wishes - gathering assets, paying debts, applying for probate, and distributing the estate. The job is real work, often spread over six to twelve months. Our probate timeline UK guide walks through what they'll be doing.
After signing, have a short conversation (or send a message) telling each executor:
- That you've named them as an executor.
- Where the original will is stored.
- That you have a Trusted Hands account with the digital copy and supporting documents.
- Whether you've named anyone else as a co-executor.
Most people are honoured to be asked but appreciate knowing in advance - it's not a job that should be a surprise. If you haven't already chosen them, our how to choose your executors guide is the place to start.
Step 5 - Tell anyone who needs to know
You don't have to tell beneficiaries what they're inheriting (most people don't, and that's fine), but it can help to tell certain people:
- Guardians for your children - they need to know they're named, and what your wishes are around upbringing.
- The executors of any specific gifts - if you've left a particular item to a particular person, knowing it's coming helps.
- Your partner or spouse - especially if you're not married and rely on each other financially.
People sometimes worry these conversations will create awkwardness. In practice, they nearly always reduce it - the awkwardness happens when the will turns up unexpectedly and people are surprised.
Step 6 - Update when life changes
A will is a snapshot of your life at the moment you signed it. The rule of thumb is: any time something material in your life changes, check the will still reflects what you want. Common triggers:
- Marriage - automatically revokes a will in England and Wales unless the will was made in contemplation of that marriage.
- Divorce - removes a former spouse's entitlements and their appointment as executor, but doesn't revoke the rest of the will.
- A new child or grandchild.
- The death of a beneficiary or executor.
- Buying or selling a property.
- A significant change in finances - inheritance, business sale, retirement.
- A house move (just to update your address).
Our updating your will online guide goes through what counts as material.
The annual updates subscription keeps your will editable in the builder. You log in, change what's changed, re-render the document, re-sign and re-witness it. The new will revokes the old one. The subscription costs less than re-buying the will from scratch each time and exists precisely because life keeps moving.
> Already finished your will? The annual updates option keeps it editable as your life changes. Or if you haven't started yet - start free → and only pay when you download.
Step 7 - When something complex comes up
Sometimes the change in your life is bigger than a tweak. A second marriage with children from a previous relationship, a business sale, a beneficiary with a long-term disability, foreign property purchased abroad - these are situations where a quick edit isn't enough and the estate plan itself needs revisiting.
The complexity flagging system in the builder will surface this when you go to update your will. You'll see a notice explaining what it has spotted and offering you the option to switch to assisted mode, where a Trusted Hands Advisor walks you through the relevant sections by phone or video. For complex estates, we recommend you seek assistance from a Trusted Hands Advisor or your own legal advice.
Step 8 - Long-term thinking about inheritance tax
For many estates, inheritance tax isn't an issue - the £325,000 nil-rate band, plus the £175,000 residence nil-rate band where eligible, covers most homes. Both bands are frozen until April 2030 under current UK government policy as of 2026. Once your estate creeps above those thresholds, planning becomes worth doing.
Our inheritance tax UK 2026 and seven-year rule UK guides go through the basics. The annual updates subscription is also a natural moment to think about whether gifts during your lifetime might reduce the eventual tax.
Step 9 - What your executors will do when the time comes
When the time comes, your executors will:
- Locate the original will (this is why storage and the vault matter).
- Register the death and obtain the death certificate.
- Value the estate - assets, debts, and any gifts made in the last seven years.
- Apply for the grant of probate, which is the court's confirmation that they have authority to act.
- Pay debts and any inheritance tax due.
- Distribute the estate in line with the will.
The whole process typically takes six to twelve months for a straightforward estate, longer for complex ones. The cleaner your records, the smoother the process. The digital vault is built precisely for this hand-off moment.
> Ready to start your will? Trusted Hands turns these decisions into a 15-30 minute guided builder. Start free → — only pay when you download.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I review my will?
Once a year is a sensible cadence, plus any time something material changes (marriage, divorce, new child, house purchase, death of a beneficiary). The annual updates subscription is timed for this.
What if I lose the original signed will?
If only the original is lost, the digital copy can sometimes be admitted to probate but it's far from straightforward and adds delay. The cleaner answer is to print a fresh copy from the builder, re-sign and re-witness it. The new signing revokes the lost one.
Do I need to tell my executors what's in the will?
No - the contents are private until probate. But you should tell them they're named, where the original is, and that you have a Trusted Hands account. The contents will become accessible to them at the right moment.
Can my executors access my digital vault?
Yes - through a clear executor-access process. You can pre-nominate which executors should be granted access on death, and we verify identity before unlocking. This avoids the common problem of important records being lost behind a password.
What if my circumstances change suddenly?
Log into your account and edit the will. The annual updates subscription is built for exactly this. If the change is genuinely complex, the flagging system will surface it - and for complex estates, we recommend you seek assistance from a Trusted Hands Advisor or your own legal advice.
Ready to write your will?
Trusted Hands is a guided, plain-English will builder. You answer simple questions, see your draft as you go, and only pay when you're ready to download.
- Free to start - no card details to begin
- Smart Will Engine - only asks what's relevant to your situation
- Fixed price - no hourly bills, no surprises
- Annual updates option - keep your will editable as life changes