We update this list of the best online will maker options periodically. When it comes to planning your estate, Rocket Lawyer does it all. And the legal service company's free seven-day trial may be both long and full-featured enough to give you what you need; you can create up to three estate planning documents and have a brief consultation with a lawyer by phone or email.
Rocket Lawyer has a large network of attorneys that covers all 50 states. You can get connected with a lawyer via live chat for quick, simple questions or schedule a minute phone legal advice consultation for any specific questions. And the included legal counsel document review protects you from making major legal document mistakes that could render your will invalid. Creating wills and the other necessary estate planning legal forms on Rocket Lawyer is simple and painless.
It took me around 15 minutes to complete the process. It's fairly easy to find additional estate planning information on any given subject such as real estate, durable power, advance directives, health care directives, HIPAA authorization, inheritance tax, estate tax and probate court as you go through the interview-based interface, and there's a notes field so you can keep track of questions to ask your appointed lawyer afterwards.
Bottom line: This is the best online will maker for most people. The legal forms software, which takes into account state-specific laws and processes, is regularly updated by a team of legal experts. And once you buy it, you own it, so you can create new forms or documents whenever you please. The main drawback is that Nolo doesn't include access to attorneys for legal advice -- so there's no legal professional to review your documents or answer questions.
As such, Nolo's Quicken WillMaker and Trust is best suited to those who come to the table with an understanding of how to draft wills and have a game plan for their estate. The upside is that you can review your will and other estate planning documents periodically and make changes without having to repurchase the software. Still, each time you make a significant change, you will need to execute the will again -- usually, with two witnesses and possibly a notary, too -- and destroy any past copies.
Writing up a will took about 25 minutes -- a bit longer than the others we tried. But Nolo Quicken WillMaker and Trust was by far the most thorough of all of the will makers we tried, with an extensive library of templates, tools and resources. The software looks a little dated, but it's easy enough to navigate. First things first: DoYourOwnWill is free to use, with no hidden fees or gotchas.
It provides a complete set of generic estate planning documents, though you won't find state-specific estate plan documents, much guidance or integrated access to attorneys. But if you have a relatively simple estate and you're familiar with the process -- and you feel ambitious enough to do some research -- DoYourOwnWill is a solid free online wills estate planning option.
I drafted a basic will in about five minutes. The website includes a helpful FAQ and blog with clear answers to basic questions and some guidance for more complex situations such as revoking power of attorney.
Designed for young families, Fabric's app-based service is simple, free and user-friendly -- making it the best choice for parents new to writing a will. The service bills itself as an easy way to tackle some hard questions. And given its convenient, straightforward approach, the process of planning for end of life feels less like a morose conversation and more like accounting for a part of everyday life.
Fabric really excels with facilitating a conversation most of us aren't accustomed to having regularly. Fabric doesn't provide access to attorneys or state-specific documents.
Rather, it focuses on helping you draw up clear directions for the care of your house and children in the event of your incapacitation. You can also apply for life insurance within the Fabric platform. We found the estate planning software interface intuitive, and it took only 10 minutes to complete a will. During the process, Fabric gives you the option to email your executor and witnesses a notification, though you can also opt to print out your will and send a hardcopy.
LegalZoom's offering is fairly similar to Rocket Lawyer -- but it's more expensive. We found LawDepot's stripped-down estate planning software offering similar to the type of resources you'll find at DoYourOwnWill. Sign Up Now. Why We Chose It. Pros One year of free legal updates Complete the downloaded documents at your own pace. Cons Documents not valid in Louisiana Not available on mobile.
Pros Useful educational resources Intuitive website for quick process. Cons No upfront legal consultations Not ideal for complex situations. Best Free Option : doyourownwill.
Pros Available in all 50 states No account creation required. Cons No legal support Must double-check your state laws. Best Comprehensive Option : TotalLegal. Pros Low recurring fee Discounted access to legal services.
Best for Making Changes : Tomorrow. Pros Easy to use app Quick process to create a will on-the-go Free to make changes.
Cons Mobile device option not for everyone Upgrade required to create revocable living trust. Best for Ease of Use : Willing. Pros Straightforward user experience Streamlined to save time. Cons Upgrade required for revocable living trust Financial power of attorney documents not included in base price. Best for Charitable Giving : FreeWill.
Pros Designed to support charitable giving Available in 50 states. Cons No legal support Limited documents available. Best Customer Service : Rocket Lawyer. Pros Free seven-day trial Ability to ask a lawyer questions.
Cons Pricey plan to unlock all the options Credit card required for free trial. Article Sources. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for TheBalance. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page.
These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data. We and our partners process data to: Actively scan device characteristics for identification. I Accept Show Purposes. Its tools are readily available and easily accessible. This service is relatively young, so the user interface has a modern look to it as well. You can also see things like the most common answer at each step, which can help you better understand things as you move forward.
From there, you may have to see a notary or an attorney, but the document creation process will be finished entirely online. Then, compare all three to see what's best for you. You will want the software to have the ability to draft these elements into a:. You will also want to ask for reviews for compliance with the software.
Beyond Counsel focuses on better systems, better practice, and a better life. Our experience includes over 15 years in the industry, over , clients served, and over 1 million documents produced. They offer subscription models with different levels including increasing value at each level.
Their estate plan software includes estate plan drafting, workflow management, and legal education. When there is no automation or workflow set up to flag time-sensitive items, it costs the firm reputation, time, and money. Think of how this estate planning software will save you and attorneys at your firm time and money. You want automated scheduling for your clients. Think of all the hours you and your firm spend on this alone. In your demo or trial, review the questionnaires for the clients covering all estate planning elements such as:.
They also offer added ongoing value for free via their blog with topics including online estate planning, software insights, and attorney checklists.
As an attorney, you want to be on top of expert education in the legal field. These tools help you transform the way you work as well. Any of the tools will help modernize your law firm.
They include automation, scheduling, legal education, payment processing, and timekeeping at a variety of levels.
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