What Changed?
North Carolina recently passed a new law allowing attorneys to:
- Create a secure electronic version of your will
- Certify it with an affidavit
- Store it in a secure digital system
This means your will may now exist in more than one place—and that changes everything when it comes to revoking it.
Why This Matters
In the past, you could revoke a will by simply tearing up the original document with the intent to cancel it.
Now, that may not work.
If your attorney has stored a certified electronic version of your will, that version could still be valid—even if the paper original is destroyed.
So How Do You Revoke a Will Now?
If an electronic version exists, you must:
✔ Create a separate written revocation document, or
✔ Execute a new will that clearly revokes all prior versions
In other
words, relying on physically destroying your will is no longer a safe option.
What You Should Do Now
If you have a will in North Carolina:
- Ask your attorney if an electronic version is stored
- Don’t assume your will is revoked just because you destroyed a copy
- Use formal legal steps if you want to make changes
The safest approach?
Create a new, updated will with clear revocation language.
Why This Law Matters
This update
reflects how estate planning is evolving with technology. Law firms now securely store documents digitally—but with that convenience comes new legal considerations.
Your estate plan doesn’t just live in a folder anymore—it may live in a secure digital vault as well.
