Does the Beneficiary(s) / Executor(s) / Guardian(s) / Trustee(s) need to know the contents of the Will?
Let's break this down to 2 separate timelines:
- Before the Will gets submitted to Court (i.e. anytime before the Testator dies) [e.g. during the drafting / signing process]
Other than the Testator him/herself, technically speaking NO ONE ELSE has to know the content of the Will. This includes the 2 witnesses who witness the testator (your client) signing the Will (by signing of the Will as witnesses).
That being said, it will be good for the Testator to at least have some discussion with the Executor on the content so the Executor knows what the Testator wants. It is also generally recommended to inform these personnel of their relevant roles to gauge if they are willing to do so to begin with. (e.g. while you can appoint your sister as the Guardian to your children, she might not be as willing as what you think and the only way to find out if to have that conversation with her.) Additionally, you might want to let someone know that you have a Will and where it is kept so it can be retrieved when the time comes.
- During / after the Will gets submitted to Court (i.e. anytime after the Testator dies) [e.g. during the probate process]
In order to apply for the Grant of Probate to help you execute your Will, your Executor has to know the contents of it. As for the other roles, they are permitted to see the content of the Will relevant to them. (e.g. if in your Will it states to give say Person A a watch, then Person A is permitted to see that particular section of the Will).
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