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A Will gives you control over what happens to your money, property and other assets after your death. You can name your beneficiaries and also appoint an executor of your estate in this document. If you don’t have a valid Will when you pass, not only can you not direct what happens to your assets, but they could be tied up in probate for months or even years.
Some people put off creating a Will because they think doing so requires working with an estate attorney with a high hourly rate or high flat fee (usually starting at $1,000). Fortunately, this is no longer necessarily the case.
Today, there is an alternative to spending a lot of money with an estate attorney. There are now a number of credible websites that allow you to easily create a Will online.
Like anything else, the Will making websites run the gamut in terms of quality and cost.
Below are two categories of popular Will making websites: those that allow you to create a Will for free and those with a cost, but offer access to an estate planning attorney.
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Options for Creating a Will for Free
Do Your Own Will
Do Your Own Will offers a “free and simple way to compose your own legal Will online in a few easy steps.” The site will prompt you to enter your basic demographic information, the name of a Will executor and instructions for how you would like your assets to be divided. That’s it. All that’s left for you to do is to download and print your document.
Free Will
Free Will is another site that allows you to create a basic Will quickly. The site states that you can complete your Will in 20 minutes or less. You will be asked questions about yourself and your wishes. After that, you will get a pdf of your Will to download and print.
Law Depot
Creating a Will on the Law Depot site is very quick and easy and free. The site touts that you can create your Will in 5 minutes. All you need to do is answer a few simple questions and then download and print your documents.
Low-cost Attorney Help
While the free Will creator sites are user-friendly, quick and well, free, there are situations where it may be worth it to pay a little bit to get more.
With some online Will maker programs you can pay a fee to have access to an attorney should you have questions about completing your Will or just want an attorney to review it.
Legal Zoom allows you to create a state-specific customizable Will using their step-by-step guide for $89. However, for $10 more, you can access their network of attorneys for 2 weeks, post purchase. Access to their attorneys can extend beyond that for a charge of $14.99 monthly.
Rocket Lawyer, like many of the other sites, prompts you with questions about your demographic information and your personal situation to create a Will. On this site, you can create your Will for $39.99, then, should you have a question for an attorney, the charge is $49.99 per question or $59.99 for a half hour consultation. Alternatively, they have something called premium membership where, for $39.99 a month, you can not only create your Will, but any questions for and/or consultation with an attorney, are included.
This site has a user friendly interface and prompts you with questions about your specific life situation. They charge $89 to create your Will and will print and send your Will to you at no cost. The Trust & Will site offers access to an estate attorney on an unlimited basis for a year for $200.
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Whichever Will making site you use, the critical thing to remember is that once you print your Will, you will need to sign it in front of witnesses (who are over 18 years old and NOT named in your Will) to make it legal. State laws vary in terms of how many witnesses need to be present. Then, just be sure to put your Will in a safe place and inform your executor where to find it.
