The current pandemic has raised issues for trusts and estates practitioners that would have garnered very little attention in our pre-COVID-19 world. From the mechanics of notarization to the simple act of being able to meet face-to-face with clients, our new reality has forced us to adjust in ways that we never deemed imaginable.
Despite social distancing guidelines, testamentary formalities still must be followed in connection with the execution of a will. This includes advising clients that taking matters into his or her own hands by crossing out unfavorable provisions of a will and inserting handwritten changes thereto is highly unlikely to successfully revise or amend the original instrument.
