Traditionally, dealing with an individual’s estate has been very heavily dependent on paper copies and in some cases difficult to manage because there may only be one copy of certain documents. That said, currently, the probate landscape is changing rapidly. New online systems that are being developed are providing a more efficient, less stressful process. Throughout this blog post, our Dallas, TX probate lawyer will go through different ways that technology is improving the probate process.
To begin, let’s go through the basics of what probate is and how it is changing. Probate is a legal procedure that involves providing a will, following through on wishes of the passed, and settling debts. In the past, it has required a plethora of physical documents that only have one copy, a large amount of communication between executors and financial institutions, and other parties involved. In our current day and age, many services are moving to online platforms and in a sense they are evolving; and so is probate. Many companies now offer a service where the client is able to apply for probate, then upload necessary documents all online. They are also being given tools to track the process of their case throughout the probate process. This is providing parties with significant time savings, peace of mind that their case is processing, and make the process visually less cumbersome.
I will now go over three points on how the probate process is becoming less cumbersome. Firstly, in our ever evolving society, people are now storing their wills with law firms digitally. This is especially helpful for accessibility of the will and greatly reduces the risk of losing essential documentation. In some cases, it may be difficult for the next of kin to find the will because they are unaware of the will’s location or cannot access the will. These specific cases are when the deceased stored their will in a safety deposit box in their own name, meaning in some cases the next of kin may not be able to access it. Storing the will digitally will essentially erase this stress. Another interesting aspect of this point is that in some cases, when a death is registered, the company who has the digital will, will be notified when it becomes registered.
Secondly, in the past, when a law firm or executor handling the would have spent an abundant amount of time locating financial accounts, investments, and other types of property in the will. This took a lot of time and was often difficult in some cases to locate all assets in the will. Now, companies are provided with AI tools that locate accounts and assets linked to the will quickly and flags anything that relates to an asset in the will. This is extremely valuable as it allows for no assets to be overlooked or in some cases inaccurately valued.
Lastly, new software can estimate asset values quicker and more accurately. Providing solicitors with more efficient and precise tax submissions
With the many benefits of the digital probate system, there are still some disadvantages. One main disadvantage is that some people still struggle with digital literacy in general let alone with legal/probate matters. Solicitors must work to bridge this gap by personalizing and simplifying the client experience. They need to make sure that the clients are comfortable and know that they have assistance with whatever they are unclear of.
The digital probate process is becoming more and more accessible, efficient, and is becoming widely used. It is important that although it has shifted to digital, you will still get the same support and guidance that you did before. You will in addition have access to a platform that updates you on the case and allows for a more transparent probate experience. Contact our team at the Brandy Austin Law Firm today to schedule a consultation.
References
Brien, J. O. (2025, November 5). A Guide to How Tech Is Reshaping the Probate Process in 2025. https://techbuzzireland.com/2025/11/05/a-guide-to-how-tech-is-reshaping-the-probate-process-in-2025/