Covid-19: Spike in will registrations in Maharashtra in September

PUNE: The registration of wills went up by 50% this September compared to that in the same month last year, conforming to the trend of upswing in the practice after the Covid-19 outbreak. A total of 3,609 wills were registered in September 2020 — the highest since January 2020 and the second highest in the past 12 months. The registration of wills in the state has increased each month from April 2020, according to the IGR (inspector general of registration) data.According to lawyers, the will-writing activity has increased manifold in the state though not all wills are registered as it is not a mandate.“The writing activity by itself has increased and the pandemic has definitely added to the urgency in people writing their last will and testament,” said advocate Vijay Pal Dalmia, practising in the Supreme Court of India and Delhi High Court.Dalmia, who also runs makemywill.in, said though not mandatory, registration of will was always a preferred option. It helps in cutting out long circuitous route for the family when the will is enforced later.“In the absence of a registration, some entities insist on a probate to be obtained from a court, which is both expensive and time consuming,” he said.Registrations, however, form only a small part of the will-making activity. It is also the only document that can be registered anytime. According to lawyers, many more people than ever before are taking to writing a will.Also, more youngsters are also showing an interest in writing their wills. “Though still a small number, the sub-50 age group will-writers are increasing. But 80% of the will-writers are still over 50s as there is a sense of stability by then. From April to now, the activity of actual will-writing has doubled,” said Jatin Popat, founder, Mumbai-based WillJini.com.WillJini has tied up with multiple banks and insurers to offer will-writing services online.Popat said, along with registrations, writing a will should be aligned with the nominations made as that helps in a much smoother devolution of assets.