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On today's episode of Financial Planning for Canadian Business Owners, Jason Pereira interviews Tim Hewson, CEO of LegalWills, an online platform providing millions of users with a simple and accessible solution for creating legal and compliant wills. Tim discusses the importance of having a will, the challenges of estate planning, and how Legal Wills aims to demystify the process.
On today's episode of Financial Planning for Canadian Business Owners, Jason Pereira interviews Tim Hewson, CEO of LegalWills, an online platform providing millions of users with a simple and accessible solution for creating legal and compliant wills. Tim discusses the importance of having a will, the challenges of estate planning, and how Legal Wills aims to demystify the process.
Episode Highlights:
00:34: Tim introduces the topic of legal wills, emphasizing their significance and the need for everyone to have one. He discusses the mission of making will preparation affordable and accessible to everyone.
01:04: Tim outlines the mission of LegalWills, emphasizing the removal of barriers to will preparation. He discusses the accessibility and affordability aspects, considering it a vital document for everyone.
03:00: Recognizing the inadequacies of existing will templates, Tim and his co-founder envisioned an online platform, drawing inspiration from Microsoft Office's user interface to guide users through the will preparation process.
05:36: Tim explains the onboarding process for creating a will on LegalWills. The service assesses suitability, redirecting users to seek legal advice in certain situations.
07:36: Tim introduces the Key Holder concept, allowing users to securely share information with designated individuals when needed. He explains the Messages service, enabling users to leave specific messages for their loved ones after their passing.
08:39: Tim talks about additional estate planning documents, including a Financial Power of Attorney and Living Will, designed for situations where an individual loses capacity, and decisions need to be made on their behalf.
09:19: Tim elaborates on premium packages, Life Locker, and Digital Vault. Life Locker helps maintain an encrypted inventory of assets, ensuring nothing goes undiscovered by the executor. The Digital Vault allows users to upload files for their loved ones, such as recipes, photos, or important documents.
10:53: Jason commends LegalWills for allowing users to pick and choose services. He highlights the importance of having a Power of Attorney for young adults turning 18, and he appreciates the affordability of LegalWills' solution.
11:32: Tim discusses the expansion of LegalWills to multiple countries and the challenges of adapting services for different jurisdictions. He introduces the concept of expatriate wills, allowing users to cover assets in different countries with complementary wills.
13:03: Jason emphasizes the complexity of legal matters across borders and praises LegalWills for providing an affordable solution for expatriate wills, contrasting it with high-priced lawyer services.
14:49: Tim explains that LegalWills covers a broad range of scenarios, including lifetime interest trusts for blended families. The service evolves over time to address various situations, and currently, there are few cases that they do not cover.
16:57: Jason reflects on the binary decision people face when choosing between affordable online services like LegalWills and more expensive options for complex legal matters.
18:15: Tim responds to the criticism of LegalWills' affordability by questioning the high charges for simple wills by some law firms. He argues that basic wills shouldn't cost as much as they often do, and he highlights the issue of lawyers overcharging for relatively straightforward services.
20:53: Tim acknowledges that even lawyers work with templates and highlights that LegalWills uses the same legal precedents and software as lawyers but offers a user-friendly front end.
22:31: Tim acknowledges the challenge of changing the perception that creating a will is only necessary when someone is about to die. He discusses the battle to disassociate the act of writing a will from thoughts of death, emphasizing that estate planning should be a standard part of financial planning.
23:38: Tim and Jason discuss the irrational beliefs and superstitions surrounding will creation, such as the idea that writing a will is a bad omen leading to death. They highlight the diverse reasons people decide to create wills.
24:28: Jason and Tim emphasize the emotional impact on families left to deal with disorganized estates and stress the importance of creating a will to prevent conflicts and contempt among family members.
26:39: Tim shares that what keeps him motivated is the positive impact the company has on people's lives. The feedback from customers who have benefited from the service, helping families and charities through planned giving within wills, is a driving force.
Key Points:
1. LegalWills aims to simplify estate planning, catering to diverse needs, including those of blended families.
2. Tim discusses the challenge of balancing growth and service quality as Legal Wills has steadily expanded without external funding.
3. The platform has made a positive impact on users and charities, emphasizing the importance of organized estate planning for individuals and families.
Jason works one-on-one with Canadian owner-operators on compensation, corporate structure, investments, and succession. Fee-only, not commission-driven.