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If you’re reading this article, you’re probably thinking about creating a Will, and you may be weighing your options. There are different ways to create your Will: you can use a DIY Will kit from a store, a hand-written Will, or you can use online Will software. Creating a Will may appear daunting at first, and you may not know how to go through the entire process. But once you choose the best option to create your Will, it becomes easier.

The basics of a Will encompass the following: all of things in your estate (any property, savings, investments, charities, gifts, etc.), specific gifts you are leaving behind to various individuals of your choosing, guardianship, leaving items in trust, and any charitable donations you may want to leave behind. Those are the types of things you want to think about while creating a Will. Drafting a Will includes the following information about you: your Executor and your relationship to the person (the Executor  distributes your assets to your beneficiaries), a Guardian for any underage children, and if you want a Trust for said underage children. For instance, if you bequeath a house or a cottage to your spouse, who would inherit that piece of property if your spouse dies and you are not around?

When it comes to online Wills, it’s an inexpensive alternative to using a lawyer, who may charge hundreds (or potentially more) to draft up your Will. There are options to assist you with Will creation, but you want to make sure that the software you are thinking of using is comprehensive and fits your needs. You may want to first start by writing a list of items you own (your inventory list). Once that is complete, you may want to look at what type of software you’re looking to get: are you looking to get a CD-ROM do-it-yourself Will kit, or use an online software? Either choice may work for you, but keep in mind that the first option may be outdated. It is not unusual for people to complain that the CD-rom Will software they purchased is outdated for their operating system. An online type of software for Wills, on the other hand, is easier to update. If you use online software, you have a better chance of having a Will that is current.

If the software you have chosen is entirely online, you can usually test it out to see if it works for you. You may either have to create an online account (you can usually do this for free), or you can just jump right into the online Will order form. Creating an account may keep the information more secure. You will want to use a software that is more comprehensive than a simplistic blank-fill-in-the-form template; it should guide you through the process of creating a Will online. For instance, the online Will order form should explain legal terminology, guide you through the process of creating a Will (e.g. explaining the order of how things need to be filled out), help you through the important questions  to  answer (i.e. personal information, information about your Executor, the beneficiaries of your estate, specific gifts you are leaving behind, charitable donations, Guardian(s), and if you would like to setup any trusts for said underage children.

All of this shows that you may want to use inexpensive software to create your Will if you want a comprehensive document. If you want legal advice, you may want to seek out a lawyer to draft up your Will. However, using a software for Wills may be best if you have a straightforward situation. If you’re looking for an option to create a will online, you may want to try FormalWill.

Creating a Will by yourself does not have to be an overwhelming and complicated process; it does not require too much effort and time on your part, if you know where to look for help.  People who want to create a Will sometimes have difficulty going through a lawyer, because they dislike the thought of discussing their personal matters with a stranger. If you do decide to create a Will, you do not want to wait and rush things to the last minute. We have found that sometimes, for those who decide to create a Will by themselves, they rush the process, and complete their Will just prior to a major event or a trip. You obviously do not want to do that; you want to take your time. 

Your Will encompasses all of your assets and your entire estate, which includes: your property, jewelry, gifts, and all of your other particulars. You may want to start with an inventory list of all of your items, and periodically look over your list to see what changes need to be added or removed to your list. You may want to type (rather than handwrite), your inventory list, to better manage any changes further down the road. When it comes to the actual creation of the Will itself, people sometimes decide to do a holographic (hand-written) Will, but that may not be a good idea for a number of reasons: 1) You may not know about everything that goes into your Will. A Will not only encompasses your assets and estate, but it also covers who you are appointing as your Executor (the person who is responsible for dispersing your assets), any gifts you want to leave behind, your beneficiaries/alternate beneficiaries (the people who are getting all of your stuff when you pass away), charitable items, guardians for your kids, a trust for your underage child, etc. Hand-writing a Will may not be a good idea for an individual who does not know much about writing a Will or what goes into it. 2) You may not know about the procedure about what happens next, after you complete your Will. How do you make your Will legally binding? In short, you most likely want a document that covers just about everything for your Will. That can all be covered through online software. There are options to create your Will through online software, such as FormalWill. It takes the guess work out of creating your Will on your own. 

You can create your Will through FormalWill in just three easy steps: 1) Create your account, 2) Enter your information into the online Will order form, and 3) Pay at the end and receive both your Will and signing instruction letter. FormalWill simplifies the entire process for you, and makes your life easier. This may be an option for you when you decide on the best way to create a Will. 

We have previously posted about the reasons as to why many put off completing a Will. One reason has to do with the fact that people are wary of discussing their personal matters with a lawyer. Many are unaware that they can, in fact, draft up a Will without a lawyer. You do not need a lawyer to create a Will for you, and if your estate and assets are straightforward, you can draft a Will yourself using online will software.

If you choose to create a Will without a lawyer, you may want to think about what goes  into your Will, including the following: a clause revoking former Wills and testaments, specification of your city/town, appointing an executor or person who will carry out the terms of your Will, appointing alternate executor(s), etc. You also want to ensure that you have a fairly good idea as to where your assets, estate, gifts, charitable donations, etc., are all going to go. In addition, you want to have a good idea as to who the potential Guardian of your underage children will be. This can be done through online Will software, without a lawyer. If you feel you require legal advice, however, you may want assistance from a lawyer.

If you choose to create a Will without a lawyer, you need to initialize and sign the document in the correct places. You may want to have two independent witnesses localized within your area to witness and sign in the document in the correct places as well. That is all you require to make your Legal Will valid, without a lawyer. Notarizing documents is a question that often arises as well; people question if they need to have their Will notarized by a lawyer. Notarization is essentially a seal or a stamp on your document, which  shows that the document is authentic. Notarization may only be necessary for a Power of Attorney and it is not necessary for a Last Will and Testament.  How are these documents different from a Last Will and Testament? A  Power of Attorney is a document that deals with your financial matters while you are alive, and a Living Will deals with your health matters while you are alive. Both documents are vastly different from a Will, which only deals with matters relating to your estate/assets AFTER your death. Unlike a Will, a Power of Attorney may require notarization, but all three documents can be created without a lawyer present. Again, if you require legal advice, you may want to seek the assistance of a lawyer.

Those are the basic items you need to know about creating a Will without a lawyer, how to make a Will valid, what notarization entails, and what the difference is between a Will, a Power of Attorney and a Living Will.