You’re most likely familiar with the basics of what a Last Will and Testament is: it is a legal document that ensures that your loved ones are taken care of if anything happens to you. An online Will (sometimes also known as an online will form) eliminates the need for a lawyer by providing you with the guidance and knowledge you require to complete your Will from your home.
Making a Will online allows you to create your Will by using a will form, which guides you through a series of questions and produces your Will for you. You then print your Will and follow the proper steps for witnessing, signing, and storage.
One of the great things about online Wills is that you can usually log back in and change your Will easily if your circumstances change. For example, if you want to change your appointed Executor, you can simply log back in to your online Will account, change your Executor, and print out a new Will for signing. This is much more cost-effective, faster, and efficient than going back to see a lawyer to make a change to your Will.
If you feel that you can answer some straightforward questions and do not require the guidance of a lawyer, then an online Will would work for you. A Will created online carries the same weight as a document created by a lawyer, provided that it follows the same basic required steps (for example, being witnessed and signed by independent witnesses). There is no legal requirement that a lawyer witness or write up your Will.
An online Will would work for you if your estate is fairly straightforward and you do not have complex issues to deal with (e.g. property scattered in several jurisdictions, a multi-million dollar estate, etc.) that may be better dealt with through a lawyer rather than through an online Will form. When you create and print out your online Will, you simply sign off with some independent witnesses and you have completed your Legal Will.