Safe custody transfer
Move your will to us — we do the asking
If another firm, a bank or the Public Trustee holds your original will, you can move it whenever you like. Tell us who has it and we write for it on your authority. Free to transfer, free to store, and we read it and tell you whether it still works.
No charge
No fee to request the will, transfer it or store it in safe custody
No awkward call
You never speak to the firm holding it — we do
Free review
We read it and tell you plainly whether it still matches your life
How the transfer works
1. Tell us who holds the will
The firm's name is usually enough. If the firm has merged or closed, tell us the old name and we will trace who took the safe custody packet.
2. We send you a one-page authority
You sign a short written authority directing the holder to release the original will and any enduring power of attorney to us. It is emailed to you and signed electronically.
3. We write and collect it
We deal with the other firm, the bank or the Public Trustee of Queensland directly. You never have to explain yourself to them or ask for a favour.
4. It goes into our safe custody, free
You get a written receipt and a register entry so your executor can find it. Storage is free, and there is no charge for the transfer itself.
Why people move their will
Usually because the firm that drew it has been absorbed into a larger practice, the solicitor who knew them has retired, or nobody can tell them who holds it any more. A will that cannot be found is a real problem: the Supreme Court presumes a missing will was destroyed and revoked, and rebutting that presumption is slower and more expensive than the original will ever was.
Others move it because they want the person storing the will to be the person who will act for the executor. When the two are the same firm, the estate starts the day after the funeral rather than three weeks later.
You do not need a reason and you do not need permission. Written authority from you is enough.
Include the name of the firm, bank or trustee holding it in the message field — that is all we need to get started. Executors dealing with an estate should use the executor intake instead, and our guide to finding a will in safe custody covers what to do when nobody knows where it is.
Common questions
Can I move my will to another solicitor?
Yes. The original will is your document. A firm holding it in safe custody must release it on your written authority, and it cannot be held back because of an old account or because they prepared it.
Do I have to tell my old solicitor why?
No. You give a written direction, we send it, and the will is released. No explanation is required and we do not ask you for one.
Does it cost anything to transfer a will?
Not with us. There is no charge to request the will, take it into safe custody or store it. A firm releasing it may not charge for the release either, though some ask for a small handling or postage cost.
Can my executor do this after I die?
Yes. On proof of death and identity, the executor named in the will can require the holder to release the original. We do that as part of our fixed-fee probate work.
What if the firm that made the will no longer exists?
Safe custody packets almost always transfer to a successor practice when a firm closes or merges, and the Queensland Law Society can help identify who holds them. Banks and the Public Trustee of Queensland are the other common holders.
Do I need a new will, or just the old one moved?
Moving it is a separate question from whether it still works. Once we hold it we will read it and tell you plainly whether it still matches your circumstances — that review is free and there is no obligation to have us redraft anything.
Not sure who has your will?
Call 0488 340 853 and we'll work through where to look — solicitor, bank, accountant or the Public Trustee.