I started off 2025 with a bang, emailing my roboadvisors, namely StashAway, Syfe and Endowus to find out what would happen in the event of my demise. The next step was very clear. I need to make my will.

But actually I had already made my will before when my son was born. MoneyOwl is a financial solutions provider that provides a simple will writing service. Best of all, it is Free.

Since then, MoneyOwl has changed hands because its low-fee model turned out to be unsustainable. I wondered if the current owners would honour the will I had written back then in 2020 or if it’s back to square one for me. My life circumstances have also changed. Now, I am the father of two kids. Double the trouble, double the fun. So, do I just make a new will on MoneyOwl’s website?

The only way to find out was to ask MoneyOwl, so I emailed them.

I received a reassuring reply. The will I had made then was legitimate, and I could just edit it to reflect my current preferred allocation of assets.

All 3 roboadvisors mentioned something about a Grant of Probate, so I asked MoneyOwl if its services comprised preparing a Grant of Probate as well.

It turned out that no, they don’t provide this service because my executor would have to file for a Grant of Probate with the court.

This is embarrassing to admit, but I also learnt that this Grant is something that my executor applies for after I pass on. So, I heaved a sigh of relief. I had thought mistakenly that I had to prepare it and put it somewhere for my wife to find. Anyway, yay! One less administrative task for me to tackle.

Lastly, the staff candidly told me the limitations of the free will writing service.

I guess the limitation doesn’t affect the way in which I use roboadvisors, since all three of them mentioned about liquidating the funds in my individual account.

Nonetheless, I need to find out more about professional will writing services and decide if my circumstances warrant the hiring of a lawyer to write my will.