The STEP response to the Law Commission's supplementary consultation on will reform highlights crucial considerations for the validity and acceptance of electronic wills that directly align with the MyEverAfter app's functionality and purpose.
Need for robust safeguards against fraud and undue influence: STEP emphasises the need for clear safeguards to prevent fraudulent or coerced creation of electronic wills.
MyEverAfter addresses this concern by offering users a private space to carefully consider and record their thoughts and intentions, promoting thoughtful decision-making.
The app provides tools for writing, recording, and filming thoughts, allowing users to review, refine, and ensure their true wishes are reflected before sharing. Should the user wish to, they can nominate a video or text file to become their ‘Letter of Wishes’ or even their ‘Last Will & Testament’.
The ability to continuously refine the file before appointing a legal resource from within the app to be executor is the natural step Myeverafter facilitates, providing a digital conduit between the current analogue process and the future digital wills process that the STEP consultation alludes to.
STEP highlights the importance of strong evidence of the testator's intentions and the need for verifiable signatures in electronic wills.
MyEverAfter supports this by enabling users to articulate their feelings and intentions in various formats, providing a clear record of their wishes.
The app also allows for scheduled sending of messages, ensuring delivery at the intended time, even posthumously.
STEP suggests a government-authorised, centralised system for electronic will registration and storage. This system would help protect against loss or inaccessibility of the will and potentially leverage blockchain technology for security. While MyEverAfter currently doesn't offer direct integration with such a system, its functionality as a platform for creating and storing personal messages, including testamentary wishes, lays the groundwork for future compatibility.
STEP advocates for raising public awareness about the automatic revocation of a will upon marriage.
MyEverAfter indirectly supports this by encouraging users to proactively communicate their wishes to loved ones and update their messages as life circumstances change, potentially prompting them to consider the legal implications of significant life events like marriage.
In conclusion, while MyEverAfter is not exclusively designed as an electronic will platform, its features and purpose align with many of the key concerns raised by STEP regarding electronic will reform. The app's focus on thoughtful communication, clear documentation of wishes, and secure storage of personal messages positions it well within the evolving landscape of digital legacy planning.
