Whether you have worked your whole life or inherited an estate, one of the most important things about being a parent is passing on your wealth to your children. This is why most parents will make a will when they start feeling older and more vulnerable – to ensure that hard work doesn’t go to waste. The issue is that non-parents, or parents that are still young, often neglect the necessity of having a will.
The reason for this is because it’s traditionally an expensive ordeal. Having to spend several hundreds, or even thousands, when you can’t comprehend a scenario in which you will need a will anytime soon is easy to procrastinate on. With the invention of online will makers, this is no longer an excuse.
Not only should we always be aware that anything can happen in order to appreciate our time on this uncertain earth, where pandemics and catastrophes happen, but the cost of planning your own wealth estate after death is now under a hundred bucks. This article will explore the benefits of online wills, and then detail the onlinewillmakers.com’s best rated list.
What are online wills and are the benefits?
When using an online will software you essentially pay either a fixed or monthly fee, far below the going rate for a lawyer, and complete the will yourself using the template provided. This means that the user is given a blueprint of a will, with some pieces of information missing. The user answers basic questions, jargon-free, and the answers automatically fill into the will document.
Generally, it takes under an hour to complete an online will from start to finish. Some are reviewed to have taken 10 minutes to complete. This is far from the traditional route of making an appointment with a lawyer, visiting their office and so on.
The biggest benefit of an online will maker is that you can legitimately ensure that your possessions are distributed to whomever you choose. Not only this, but you can appoint a power of an Executor and Trustee. This will allow you to choose someone who can manage the distribution of your estate. This gives extra peace of mind, knowing your wishes will be fulfilled.
In fact, some companies may even allow you to appoint a guardian for a minor, as well as specifying your nuanced funeral wishes, which can help take the stress off of loved ones. Whilst some companies specialise in wills alone, others are more general and cover far reaching legal services.
Arguably the most prominent benefit of online wills is the cost. Paying a lawyer to help you through will creation can be upwards of $1,000, though if the estate is small and simple it may only be a few hundred. Online will software, however, usually range from $20 to $100 for a basic document. There are often options for on-going payment if there’s a lot of other services to use, or perhaps the ability to alter the will details in the future.
Which are the best online will makers currently in the USA?
There are plenty of online will making companies to choose from in the USA, but here are the five leading ones:
Quicken Nolo
Quicken Nolo have been recognized as the very best will makers in the USA. Besides Nolo being overall the most popularly used will making software, it also has a lot of advantages making it the leading will provider. Quicken Nolo is extremely easy to use, has multiple add-ons options available, allows for multiple users and has great customer support with help resources. Not only that, but Quicken Nolo services are also at an attractive price point, that is not much higher than the average industry price point.
U.S. Legal Wills
Another excellent choice for an online will maker, as U.S. Legal Wills offers great value for the money. The prices for the U.S. Legal Wills are very competitive and you only need to pay a one time fee, meaning that there won’t be any unexpected costs later on. The biggest benefit of the software is how easy and user-friendly it is, with great customer support available. A basic will takes only about 20 minutes to create and most of it is customizable.
Trust & Will
With only a couple years of existence, Trust & Will may not seem like the most credible choice, however, there is nothing that would make you doubt their credibility. The company has been gaining increasing amounts of popularity due to its low price point, money back guarantee option and the ease-of-use with the software. This is a good choice if you just need a basic will, although it may not be suitable for more complicated situations, as Trust & Will do not have attorneys you could consult.
Total Legal
Founded in 2003, Total Legal has been around for nearly two decades and they’ve been one of the leading will makers due to their admirable transparency, brilliant help center and lots of choices for different documents. Besides, their services come at a good cost and you have the option of paying monthly, with no payments in advance. The reason Total Legal is lower on the list, however, is because they are a lot less UI friendly than others and also very limited for wills.
Final Word
Deciding to opt for an online will as opposed to a traditional lawyer’s one isn’t an easy option, but it makes sense for those with simple estates and relationships. What’s more difficult perhaps is deciding on a company, as the industry is exploding right now with new services, pricing schemes and features.