Will Location and Copies Register

Who this is for

Where the current will actually is. The register records the original of each will, codicil and related paper, who holds it, who has a copy and whether it has been replaced, so executors go straight to the right version.

Anyone who has made a will or changed one, and the executors, partners and family members who will need to find the current original quickly.

What this helps you track

• The date of the latest will and where its original is stored
• Every codicil and related paper, with the date it was signed
• Who holds each original and under what reference
• Who has been given a copy, so old copies can be recalled
• Which documents have been superseded by later ones

How to use it

1. Write your name, the date of your latest will and where its original is stored at the top.
2. Give each will, codicil or related paper a line, with the date it was signed and who holds the original.
3. Record any reference number the holder uses, such as a solicitor's file number or a storage receipt.
4. List who has a copy, and tick superseded when a later document replaces it, noting what happened to the old original.
5. Tick off the people you have told where the original is kept.
6. Update the sheet every time you sign something new; print it for the folder or keep it in the browser version, which saves in your own browser.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The online version keeps what you enter in your own browser and builds the completed PDF on your device.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

Why keep a record of superseded wills?

Old copies can turn up years later and cause confusion. Recording which documents were replaced, and what was done with them, helps executors be sure they are working from the current version.

Does this sheet replace registering or depositing a will?

No. It records what you have done, not what you should do. Some places offer official storage or registration schemes; check the rules where you are and write the details on the sheet if you use one.

What counts as a related paper?

Anything that sits alongside the will: codicils, a letter of wishes, a lasting power of attorney or similar document, trust papers, or a note about gifts. List whatever you want your executors to find with it.

Should copies be marked as copies?

Many people write 'copy' on each one so it cannot be mistaken for the original. Whatever you do, the copies held by column shows who has one to collect or replace when the will changes.