Get Your Estate Plan Delivered

What's in an Estate Plan?

An Estate Plan includes one or both of the following categories of documents:

A Last Will, and Possibly a Revocable Living Trust

To specify what should happen to your things and who should take care of your children.
Lifetime Documents

To specify who should make medical decisions for you, help you manage your finances, etc.

Estate Planning Process

Consultation

You and Attorney Veronica DeSantis will meet to discuss your goals and recommendations for how to reach them.

Drafting & Review

Veronica will draft your documents and send them to you for review.

Revisions

You and Veronica will work together to make any revisions needed and ensure your documents reflect your wishes.

Delivery

You'll receive hard copies of your documents in the mail, which you'll either sign through a Remote Online Signing or by following instructions provided for an Independent Signing.

Remote Online Signing Process

1. Sign and Ship

You'll receive multiple copies of your estate planning documents, which you will sign and mail back using the box and prepaid shipping label provided. However, if you have a Last Will then you'll simply put this document aside and do nothing with it for now.

2. Schedule

Schedule a signing anytime New Chapter Legal is open, including extended hours on certain weekdays and Saturdays. Please note that Will signings must be scheduled between 5 pm and 7 pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, or between 11 am and 4 pm on Saturdays.

3. Meet Online

When it's time, you'll join the online meeting and Attorney Veronica DeSantis will be there to act as your Notary. If you're signing a Last Will then New Chapter Legal's friendly Legal Assistants, Kiara and Alexandra, will be there to act as your witnesses. Remote online signing use the Stavvy platform, which is like a sophisticated version of Zoom that's specifically made for and authorized to facilitate remote signings in New Hampshire.

4. Acknowledge Your Signatures

After verifying your identity, you will physically sign your Last Will, if you have one, and will "acknowledge" all other signatures in your documents, so Veronica can physically notarize each one. Acknowledging a signature means that you verbally swear that you are the person who signed the document. If you have a Deed as part of your estate plan, your Deed will be signed, notarized, and recorded completely online.

5. Relax

Once the signing is complete, you will be mailed fully notarized originals of each estate planning document with wet signatures and raised seals. Put your documents in a safe place and congratulate yourself on your new estate plan!

Frequently Asked Questions

Am I required to do a remote online signing?

No, you can also choose the Independent Signing option, where you will receive detailed instructions on how to sign your documents on your own, so that they are valid according to New Hampshire laws.

Is there an additional fee for a remote online signing?

No, your fee includes the signing process of your choice, and you may select either a Remote Online Signing or an Independent Signing.

Will my documents be valid if I do a remote online signing?

Absolutely yes! In 2022 New Hampshire changed its laws to explicitly allow for certain legal documents to be signed, witnessed, and notarized remotely and/or completely online.

New Chapter Legal's documents and remote online signing procedures are created in strict accordance with all relevant laws, rules, regulations, and official guidance issued by New Hampshire.

If you're curious, the New Hampshire Department of State has gathered information on the new laws here.

Do I have to meet certain requirements to be able to do a remote online signing?

Yes, remote online signings involve the use of specific technology to verify identity and complete the signing process, so you must meet certain minimum requirements.

You must have:

- Access to a computer in a private place (not a tablet) that is connected to the internet, and has a camera and microphone.

- A mobile phone that is able to take pictures, and download and use applications.

- A government issued photo ID and US credit history. US credit history is required so that you can complete the "Knowledge Based Assessment" that is used during the identity verification process.

How do remote online signings work for joint estate plans?

The same way as for individuals. Each signer must meet all of the minimum requirements detailed above. However, both signers can use the same computer or separate computers to join the remote online signing.

Do I have to be physically present in New Hampshire during the remote online signing?

No, but New Chapter Legal only assists clients who are residents of New Hampshire, meaning that you live in New Hampshire and intend to return to New Hampshire to keep on living here.

If you wanted to, you could have your remote online signing while on vacation and then return home to find your complete estate plan waiting for you.

Only Veronica, who will be your notary, needs to be physically present in New Hampshire during the remote online signing. Since Veronica is only licensed to practice law in New Hampshire, she does all work while she's physically present in New Hampshire.