There are many reasons to get a will, but according to a recent survey, a full 67% of Americans still don’t have one.
I get it; having a will written up by an attorney can be very expensive – often hundreds of dollars or more. And death is not a fun subject to broach.
Luckily, there are several online will makers that can help you write your own will for much cheaper than that.
The best online will makers have several common features. First, they’re affordable. Second, they offer all of the common forms you’ll need to plan your estate. Along with a Last Will and Testament, many online will makers offer Living Will forms, Power of Attorney forms, and more.
And lastly, the best online will makers are easy to use. After all, most of us reading this article are not attorneys. We need forms that are easy to understand and simple to use.
Here’s a rundown on some of the top will maker websites and what they have to offer. Read it over and decide which one best appeals to your estate planning needs.
Table of Contents
1. Fabric
Fabric is a life insurance company. However, they have an online will maker feature you can use even if you don’t have life insurance with them.
This site helps you appoint guardians for your children, designate distribution of assets and bequests, and put your final arrangement requests in writing.
You can create your will and your spouse’s will at the same time with Fabric. And you can make updates to your will if need be.
There’s also a feature on the site that helps you share your will with guardians, confidantes, and other important people in your life.
Cost
Free. Seriously, they won’t charge you a thing to make this will. However, the will form is pretty basic. If you need something more detailed or comprehensive, you may want to choose a different site.
Available Forms
Since Fabric offers free will creation, they only offer the Last Will & Testament form.
Trustpilot Score: 4.8 out of 5
2. Trust & Will
Trust & Will was formed by Cody Barbo after he worked to set up a will as he prepared to marry his wife. His goal was to take confusion and complication out of the estate planning process, saving people money in the process.
Trust & Will is available for residents in all 50 states. They’ve got a 7-day-a-week customer service center that can help you with any questions.
Cost
Trust & Will has three plans you can choose from. For $39 ($69 for couples) you can create a guardianship for your children in the event of your passing. Trust & Will calls this a first step for parents who aren’t quite ready to create a will.
For $199 ($299 for couples) you can create a complete will with Trust & Will. Or you can create a Healthcare Directive Will for the same price.
And for $499 ($599 for couples) you can complete a full Trust that will help you avoid probate court and ensure your plans are carried out faster.
For just a few dollars (between $12 and $39) per year you can update your documents. Trust & Will also offers a money back guarantee.
Available Forms
Available forms with Trust & Will include:
- Nomination of Guardian
- Last Will & Testament
- HIPAA Authorization
- Advance Healthcare Directive (Living Will)
- Power of Attorney
- Trust documents
Trustpilot Score: 4.9 out of 5
👉 Learn more about Trust and Will
3. LegalShield
LegalShield is a company that helps people get affordable legal help. The company partners with local lawyers in your area that can guide and direct you in a variety of legal matters.
In certain situations, you can access 24/7 phone advice from an attorney. Trial representation may be included as well, depending on the situation.
You can also get IRS audit assistance and discounted legal services should your legal issue not fit under the umbrella of included legal services.
Cost
LegalShield’s Personal Legal Plan is just $24.95 per month. For that price, you’ll get Standard Will preparation, Living Will preparation, and a host of other services, such as:
- Phone advice
- Document review
- Traffic ticket assistance
- Representation for certain uncontested family matters
And more.
Available Forms
- Last Will & Testament
- Advance Health Care Directive
- Power of Attorney
- Trusts
And others. Our full Legalshield review will have more information.
Trustpilot score: 4.0 out of 5
👉 Learn more about LegalShield
4. LawDepot
LawDepot calls itself the leading publisher of do-it-yourself legal documents. The company was founded in 2001 with the goal of providing safe and affordable legal documents to the general public.
The site says that a basic Will and Testament only takes about 5-10 minutes to create. Plan on spending longer if you have other forms you want to create as some can be quite comprehensive.
Cost
You can purchase individual legal form and the individual prices on documents will vary.
Or you can get a monthly subscription for $33 a month or an annual subscription for $95.88 per year and can cancel anytime.
Bonus: LawDepot offers a one-week free trial in which you can create and print out wills and other legal documents.
Available Forms
LawDepot offers a variety of forms including:
- Last Will and Testament
- Revocable Living Trust
- Power of Attorney
- Medical Power of Attorney
- Advance Healthcare Directive
LawDepot has other forms available as well. Some of those forms include real estate forms, financial forms, and family forms. Choose one or more as they fit your personal estate planning preferences.
Trustpilot Score: 4.5 out of 5
5. US Legal Wills
US Legal Wills has been in business for over 20 years and was recently voted Best Value in Online Wills by Investopedia.
One of the great things about US Legal Wills is that, while other companies offers wills for U.S. citizens only, US Legal Wills offers wills for expatriates too. The MyExpatWill covers assets you have in select foreign countries.
They also have a customer support center you can call from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. However, customer service representatives cannot offer legal advice.
Cost
A basic Last Will and Testament costs $39.95. Power of Attorney forms are $29.95. And Advance Healthcare Directives are $19.95. Other forms are available at varying costs.
Your spouse or partner can get the same forms you fill out at a 40% discount. If you feel you’ve got a complicated situation, you can get your will reviewed by an attorney for an additional $69.
Available Forms
US Legal Wills has the following forms available:
- Living Will and Testament
- Advance Healthcare Directive
- Financial Power of Attorney
- Expatriate Will
The Expatriate will is designed to work in conjunction with your regular will. You can store your documents securely with US Legal Wills for one year at no additional cost.
Or, you can extend storage times beyond one year for an additional cost. The company offers a 30-day money back 100% guarantee on their products.
Trustpilot Score: Listed but no reviews as of this writing
👉 Learn more about Legal Wills
6. TotalLegal
TotalLegal is a site that helps you create wills and other legal documents online for an attractive price. It was founded on the belief that people can create quality legal documents on their own with the right information.
The company will also store your documents in a secure online vault as well.
Cost
TotalLegal has two options you can choose from as far as cost is concerned. You can purchase individual forms. Most forms cost $19.95. Others may cost more or less than that.
The site also offers other forms not related to will planning. You can purchase individually, or you can purchase a yearly subscription to TotalLegal for $89.95 per year.
When you sign up for the annual subscription, you do get access to free and reduced cost attorney services. In addition, you can access other estate planning documents such as a complete estate plan and medical power of attorney.
Available Forms
Available forms for estate planning include:
- Last Will and Testament
- Advance Healthcare Directive
- Power of Attorney
The site doesn’t mention any other estate planning forms on the pricing page. However, the site does mention that there are additional forms available for estate planning when you buy the annual subscription.
Trustpilot Score: 4.6 out of 5
7. Rocket Lawyer
Rocket Lawyer was founded to make legal services simple and affordable for everyone. The company focuses on estate and other family documents, business documents, and real estate documents.
Cost
Rocket Lawyer charges a flat fee of $39 per document. Or, you can sign up to become a Premium member for $39 per month.
There is a free 7-day trial available with the Premium membership and you get access to all Rocket Lawyer documents for free. And you can share, download or print the documents any time.
Premium membership also includes a 30-minute consultation on every new legal matter, the ability to ask legal questions to a lawyer, and discounts on other legal services.
Available Forms
Rocket Lawyer has a wide array of forms you can choose from, including:
- Last Will and Testament
- Advance Healthcare Directive
- Living Trust
- Power of Attorney
- Estate Planning worksheets
And more. With the Premium membership you can print out as many documents as you want each month. At $39 each for individual documents, it can get costly.
So if you’re looking to print more than a few, or you anticipate routine changes, you may want to get the Premium membership.
Trustpilot Score: 4.6 out of 5
Learn more about Rocket Lawyer
8. LegalZoom
LegalZoom was founded in 2001 with the goal of making legal help more widely available to everyone. Along with providing online wills and other estate planning documents, the company provides business and real estate documents.
LegalZoom offers discounted legal advice on a regular basis via a legal plan membership. If you sign up for the membership, you can get help from attorneys in your area, along with discounted services.
If you’re simply needing to ask questions about creating your will, LegalZoom has a customer service number you can call seven days a week. Note that the customer service center doesn’t house attorneys and can’t answer legal questions.
Cost
A basic Last Will and Testament costs $89. If you order the Comprehensive Will and Testament for $99, you get two weeks to get questions regarding your will answered by an attorney.
An Estate Bundle plan includes a Last Will and Testament, Advance Healthcare Directive, and a Financial Power of Attorney. This product costs $179. Other forms can be purchased individually.
Available Forms
Available forms with LegalZoom include:
- Last Will and Testament
- Advance Healthcare Directive
- Financial Power of Attorney
- Healthcare Power of Attorney
- Living Trust
- Pet Protection Agreement
Notice that LegalZoom offers a Pet Protection Agreement. This agreement lets you state who should get your pets in the event that you can no longer care for them.
Trustpilot Score: 4.0 out of 5
9. FreeWill
FreeWill is an estate planning website with a twist. They help you create wills and other documents for free.
In return, you have a chance to support a non-profit organization you care about via a personal donation. It’s these non-profit organizations that cover FreeWill’s expenses, so the giving comes full circle.
As with Fabric, FreeWill’s Living Will and Trust is pretty basic. However, it does cover all of the necessary areas such as guardianship of children, division of assets, and bequests.
With FreeWill, you can login to your account and modify your will at any time. Also, FreeWill is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.
Cost
Free. They won’t charge you anything, although they do encourage you to support one of the non-profit organizations they partner with. However, doing so is not required.
Available Forms
FreeWill has a variety of forms available, including:
- Last Will and Testament
- Revocable Living Trust
- Advance Health Care Directive
- Financial Power of Attorney
Other forms may be available as well. See the website for more details.
Trustpilot Score: 4.8 out of 5
Do I Really Need a Will?
If you’re one of the two-thirds of Americans without a will, you may be wondering if you really need one. The answer to that question is a resounding yes.
The fact of the matter is that we will all die someday. It’s not a fun subject to talk about it – I get that. But since it’s going to happen sooner or later (preferably “later”), you may as well be prepared.
With a will, everything is written out legally, releasing your loved ones of having to make decisions they may not be prepared to make. Or worse, making decisions that aren’t in line with what you would have wanted.
When you ensure you have a Last Will and Testament, a Living Will, a Power of Attorney and other documents all in place, you take that burden off of your loved ones. If you want to take it a step further consider also creating an “In Case of Emergency” Binder. This allows you to give any extra information to your loved ones that isn’t in your will, such as the logins to your bank accounts or the medication schedule for your pet.
What Information Will I Need to Create a Will?
There are several pieces of information you will need to create your will using the forms above.
Here’s a list to get you started:
- Your personal information such as your full name, date of birth, current address, social security number.
- The names of your spouse and children, along with their birthdates.
- The names of designated guardians of any underage children.
- Names of beneficiaries of your assets.
- The percentage of your remaining assets you want each beneficiary to receive.
- Specific bequests of personal items or money you want each beneficiary to receive.
- Instructions regarding your funeral service, memorial, and burial.
It’s important to be as specific as possible when including the above information in your will. In other words, don’t leave any instruction vague or open to interpretation.
With most of the will makers listed above, you’ll get clear prompts as to what information to include. However, there will be some areas in which you’ll need to be specific, such as personal items you’d like to go to specific people.
Also, to make your will legally binding, you’ll need to have two people witness your signature on the document. The two people acting as your witnesses cannot be included in the will as that is considered a conflict of interest. .
Can Everyone Use an Online Will Website?
Most people with basic run-of-the-mill estates can use an online will website. They’re comprehensive enough to cover most needs.
However, if you have a more complicated estate you may want to think about using a local attorney. For instance, if your estate includes:
- Multiple properties, especially if they’re in different states
- Businesses that you own
- Complicated family matters
- Intricate details regarding your children
Or other out-of-the-box information. In those cases, you may be better off going in person to meet with a local attorney to have your estate forms drawn up.
Conclusion
As Ben Franklin said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” Don’t fail to plan out how you want your assets to be distributed after you’re gone from this earth.
Get your Last Will and Testament and other estate planning documents in order. You’ll be glad you did, and so will your loved ones.
Have you ever used an online will maker? If so, what was your experience?
