COVID-19 Update

Signing your estate plan documents during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a surge of folks deciding that it’s time to do their estate plans. The motivations are there, with everyone facing a risk of contracting the virus, combined with the fact that so many of us are stuck at home. Doing the planning is at least something we can control.

But once we get those documents done, whether it’s through a service like Legalzoom, or with a lawyer who is working remotely, how do you get them signed? Who can witness and notarize them when we are in social-distancing mode? Numerous workaround methods have been proposed.

Late on April 8, 2020, Governor Whitmer of Michigan issued Executive Order 2020-41 regarding notarization of documents during the emergency. We are studying the Order and will update as needed.