USLegalWills.com is operated by PartingWishes Inc., an independent organization which works with lawyers in the United States to provide legal document creation services to the public, but is not itself tied to a particular law firm. Formed in 2000, the company has a dedicated team devoted to ensuring high customer service, as well as an extensive list of partners and private investors.
Our mandate is to allow people to create common legal documents in a very easy, convenient, private, secure and cost-effective manner, without the need to pay the high expenses of a lawyer. We go far beyond any do-it-yourself kit or online repository of legal forms and documents. If you wish, all of your legal documents can be stored and maintained by you online, in a completely private and secure manner. This will ensure that you can keep it updated to reflect any changes in your financial or family situation.
The USLegalWills.com website allows members to document their Last Will and Testament, Living Will and Power of Attorney. Furthermore, at no extra cost, members can specify their funeral wishes, upload important files and documents, and even create messages to be sent after they have passed away. USLegalWills.com uses a unique Member-Keyholder® relationship, which ensures that the information created by our members is completely secure, yet available to their designated personal Keyholders® only at the appropriate time.
As a licensed attorney I conducted a detailed review of the service at USLegalWills.com. This service is definitely worth the price and offers so much more than I expected. The service covers so much while still remaining straight-forward and easy to use! The simplicity with which this site collects your information may lead you to believe that the final document might not be up to par. This was not my experience. The incorporation of your information into a legal document with the correct protections and specifications for those benefiting from your estate or involved in the carrying out of your will was precise and very much met the standards of a legally enforceable document.
Tim Hewson co-founded PartingWishes Inc. in 2000. Since graduating from Loughborough University of Technology in the UK with an Honors degree in Human Factors he has accumulated over 15 years experience as a telecommunications consultant and Business Manager for small companies in the UK and in Canada. He also has extensive experience in e-commerce business management for large corporations in Canada and the United States, and has worked as a Product Manager for market leading Call Center and Unified Messaging products. Tim has over 24 years of experience helping people to write their Will and other estate planning documents. He has been interviewed by many of the major news media outlets, and has contributed to articles in The New York Times, NY Metro Parents, U.S. News & World Report, and other leading publications. He has also contributed to a number of financial planning books. Throughout his career, Tim has written extensively on the subject of Will writing and estate planning.
[email protected]
Henry Raud has over 20 years experience in the PC, telecommunications and software development industry. Since graduating with an Honors Computer Science degree from the University of Toronto, he has held several technology and executive management positions in a multinational corporation. During that time, he has been responsible for the successful delivery of many complex software development projects. Henry joined forces with Tim Hewson in 2000 to form PartingWishes Inc. As President and CTO, he has full accountability and responsibility for all website and software development activities, as well as managing the financials of the corporation.
Bradley M. Sniderman - Attorney at Law, Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A.
Cindy Harm, BA, MBA - Senior Business Advisor, New York, NY, U.S.A.
John Lumsden, CISSP - Principal Engineer, Tangible Consulting
Gordon Allison, BSc - Human Factors Consultant
July 25, 2023
With further international expansion, LegalWills' online Will-writing services are now available in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and South Africa.
April 28, 2021
As the country celebrates National First Responder's Day on May 1st, Canada's longest standing online Will provider LegalWills.ca is offering first responders, including Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), paramedics, firefighters, and police officers, a Will and Power of Attorney free of charge for the entire month.
July 30, 2020
Industry leader in online estate planning, LegalWills, responds to teachers' worries about returning to their classrooms in September - amidst the COVID-19 pandemic - by providing free Wills and Health Care Power of Attorney documents to US, UK, and Canadian teachers and education workers.
June 7, 2016
A revealing survey by USLegalWills.com suggests that previous surveys may have under-reported the number of Americans without a Will by not including those who have a Will that is out-of-date.
February 19, 2009
Most Americans do not have a legal Will, but of those that do, most are not kept current. The process of amending one's Will with a lawyer is inconvenient and expensive, but a new online service by USLegalWills.com allows people to maintain their legal Will conveniently and cost effectively.
October 18, 2002
USLegalWills.com has launched the latest in a portfolio of services that allow their members to communicate their parting wishes to friends and loved ones after they have passed away.
October 15, 2002
USLegalWills.com announces the latest in a portfolio of services that allow their members to communicate their parting wishes to friends and loved ones after they have passed away. The "MyMessages" service allows members to prepare multimedia messages to friends and loves ones. These messages remain completely private and only get delivered to their recipients after the member has passed away.
October 1, 2002
USLegalWills.com announces a revolutionary new service, enabling consumers to create and update their Wills over the Internet. Now, from the comfort and privacy of their own home, all that a consumer needs is an Internet connection and about 30 minutes to create a custom Will that is legal in their local jurisdiction.
November 3, 2000
USLegalWills.com has launched a unique portfolio of services that allow consumers to communicate their final wishes to loved ones after they have passed away. The interactive website includes services for describing funeral wishes, drafting a legal Will and preparing multimedia messages.
April 2, 2024
Investopedia
US Legal Wills has one of the most affordable will options we've seen, offers 40% off forms for partners or spouses, and also has an add-on service to get an attorney to review your estate plan. Plus, it's one of the only websites that accommodates affordable wills for expats and those who have assets outside the U.S.
https://www.investopedia.com/best-online-will-makers-4843732
April 1, 2024
by Best Online Will Makers 2024 USA
US Legal Wills are very affordable compared to many other companies or the average rates of hiring a lawyer to prepare your document. Each of their products and services come at a different price point, but all of them stay well below the market’s average. Our bottom line is that this is a hugely popular online will service with a sufficient reputation and some great revision features.
https://onlinewillmakers.com/us-legal-wills-review/
November 11, 2023
Street Updates
US Legal Wills harnesses the power of technology for ease and efficiency. Its platform is designed to be intuitive, eliminating the need for any legal expertise on the user’s part. Encryption ensures that sensitive personal information remains secure. Additionally, the platform is updated to reflect any changes in state laws, ensuring that the generated wills remain compliant.
https://www.streetupdates.com/us-legal-wills/
August 21, 2023
by Tim Hewson, Fintech
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its potential have captivated the world. It is a powerful tool, but should you entrust the creation of your last Will and testament to AI?
https://www.fintech.ca/2023/08/21/should-you-get-ai-to-write-your-will/
April 14, 2023
Smart Asset
The best way to think of this service is like a TurboTax for estate planning. The software behind U.S. Legal Wills is very similar to what estate lawyers use in their own offices when they draft a will for their clients.
https://smartasset.com/estate-planning/us-legal-wills-review
March 13, 2023
by David Edey, Executor Help Podcast
David concludes his conversation with Tim Hewson, CEO of LegalWills. Learn how creating a Will can reduce stress and anxiety.
https://executorhelp.libsyn.com/confident-and-prepared
March 6, 2023
Over 55% of Canadian and American adults do not have an estate plan which includes a Will. David has a conversation with Tim Hewson, CEO of LegalWills, on the importance of planning for the future and why getting a Will is critical.
https://executorhelp.libsyn.com/why-you-shouldnt-wait
January 12, 2023
by Andrew Lisa, GOBankingRates
"The single most important thing you can do to ensure that your wealth is passed onto your loved ones is to keep an inventory of your assets somewhere," said Tim Hewson, CEO and co-founder of U.S. Legal Wills.
https://www.gobankingrates.com/money/financial-planning/how-to-pass-on-your-wealth-according-to-experts/
January 3, 2023
by Valerie Keene, J.D., Money Done Right
U.S. Legal Wills is surprisingly robust given its low cost. You can prepare documents that address a variety of circumstances and can have your documents reviewed by a lawyer if you wish.
https://moneydoneright.com/personal-finance/estate-planning/us-legal-wills-review/
January 5, 2022
Best Startup
Most people don't have a Will, but everybody needs one. We are addressing the barriers to preparing a Will by making the process affordable and convenient.
https://beststartup.ca/tim-hewson-removing-the-barriers-to-preparing-estate-planning-documents/
December 22, 2021
by Jennifer Ferreira, CTV News
A survey conducted by LegalWills.ca earlier this year shows that more than half of participants decided to write or update their wills within the past 12 months because of the pandemic.
https://www.ctvnews.ca/lifestyle/why-fewer-wills-are-being-stored-in-lawyer-vaults-1.5691355
December 20, 2021
by Lesley-Anne Scorgie, Toronto Star
If you’ve got an old will, it's possible it's invalid now. Let this be your cue for a refresh. You can do your will through a lawyer (typically when your situation is a bit more complicated) or through an online platform like... Legalwills.ca.
https://www.thestar.com/business/personal_finance/2021/12/20/start-your-family-on-the-path-to-financial-wellness.html
November 11, 2020
by Rachel Hartman, U.S. News
To set up specific instructions for loved ones, you can create a will through U.S. Legal Wills. The online will making tool asks questions about your estate to help you line up information your executor can use to properly distribute assets. You can also tap into additional features, such as a mirror capability that lets you share data between spousal accounts.
https://money.usnews.com/money/retirement/aging/articles/the-best-online-will-making-programs
November 9, 2020
by Jiro Honda, CONAN Daily News
US Legal Wills have online will kits that are incredibly fast to create. The process takes 20 minutes, yet is fully customizable with many options, the end document can also be reviewed by a lawyer. There’s a bunch of other legal documents to make use of, such as Trusts, Power of Attorneys and Expatriate Wills. These features make it truly stand out.
https://conandaily.com/2020/11/09/online-will-diy-kits-flooding-the-us/
August 17, 2020
by Kaitie Fraser, CBC News
"We've certainly seen this year that trigger for writing a will has never been higher," said Tim Hewson, CEO and co-founder of LegalWills. About one will is completed every minute on LegalWills, said Hewson, who also saw a record number of people using the service in April.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/windsor-essex-wills-uptick-as-covid19-concerns-prompt-service-1.5689416
July 31, 2020
by Dragan Sutevski, Entrepreneurship in a Box
LegalWills is one of the biggest online will makers in the world. It offers legal (and licensed) estate planning services in the US, Canada, and the UK. But LegalWills offers one of the most cost-friendly services of this caliber. It also offers you free updates for a year and discounts for your other family members.
https://www.entrepreneurshipinabox.com/22162/online-will-makers-staying-digital-even-in-death/
May 14, 2020
January 1, 2020
Top Consumer Reviews
U.S. Legal Wills is designed to offer all the legal documentation one might be in need of before the end of life. They have been in business for over 19 years and are run by Parting Wishes, Inc. which is the parent company of Parting Wishes. The products they offer consist of a Last Will and Testament, Power of Attorney, Living Will, Expatriate Will, and Life Locker.
https://www.topconsumerreviews.com/wills/detailed-reviews.php#us_legal_wills
November 6, 2019
by Rachel Hartman, U.S. News & World Report
To manage assets outside of the U.S. or set up specific instructions for loved ones, you can create a will through US Legal Wills. The online will-making tool asks questions about your estate to help you line up information your executor can use to properly distribute assets. You can also tap into additional features, such as a mirror capability that lets you share data between spousal accounts.
October 30, 2019
If you want to leave an inheritance to minors, you can set up a trust and name a trustee to manage it. "You can then decide in your will the age that you think is most appropriate for the minor to receive their inheritance," says Tim Hewson, founder and CEO of USLegalWills.com in New York.
https://money.usnews.com/money/retirement/aging/articles/how-to-write-a-will-online
October 22, 2019
by Josh Patoka, Well Kept Wallet
Most online will makers only provide service if you live in the 50 U.S. states. US Legal Wills offers wills for expatriates who live outside the United States. You can also get a will if you have assets in Canada or the United Kingdom.
https://wellkeptwallet.com/online-will-makers/
October 15, 2019
by Carol Roth, Fox Business
Despite knowing this, too many people put off gathering key documents together. Tim Hewson, president of USLegalWills.com, believes that "waiting for a 'more appropriate time' to put together your will is a mistake. Everybody should have a will. It should be written when you are young and updated throughout your life as your circumstances change."
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/carol-roth-top-estate-planning-145818581.html
June 29, 2019
by Sam Mire, Disruptor Daily
Tim Hewson, co-founder and CEO of USLegalWills.com: "I think estate planning has seen a dramatic change over the last decade or so. Dozens of websites offer online estate planning services that have become more and more sophisticated. Between them, millions of wills and other estate planning documents have been created, but not one of these websites is offered by a law firm."
https://www.disruptordaily.com/law-trends/
March 4, 2019
by Dan Rafter, Quicken Loans, Money Matters
Tim Hewson, chief executive officer of USLegalWills.com, an online service based in New York City that helps people write their wills, said that confusion often reigns when people die without a will. As Hewson said, if you die without a will, people will inevitably try to claim parts of your estate. Resentment might result when someone finally steps up to take responsibility. The person who wants to handle the disbursement of your estate will have to apply through a court process to be officially appointed as the estate administrator. While this happens, your assets will be frozen.
https://www.quickenloans.com/blog/happens-die-without-will-might-leave-behind-hurt-feelings-legal-battles-chaos
January 9, 2019
If you use an online service, you'll have access to software that guides you through the process. "You don't receive any legal advice with this option," says Tim Hewson, president of USLegalWills.com. Many of the online options allow you to make updates over time if your circumstances change. Asking for professional help to create a will gives you the opportunity to have an expert help you think through details. "This is likely to give you a well-drafted will, but it is the most expensive and least convenient approach," Hewson says.
https://money.usnews.com/money/retirement/aging/articles/should-you-make-a-free-will-online
December 27, 2018
by Anja Webb, NY Metro Parents
USLegalWills.com allows you to make your will at home by simply filling in a form and answering questions. With a fee of approximately $40, it's a more affordable option for young professionals or those with young children.
https://www.nymetroparents.com/article/the-importance-of-writing-a-will
December 15, 2018
by Jorgen Vik, The Daily Progress
According to U.S. Legal Wills, approximately eight out of nine with a will have not included a charitable beneficiary among their heirs (https://www.uslegalwills.com/blog/planned-giving/).
https://www.dailyprogress.com/lifestyles/jorgen-vik-you-don-t-need-to-be-extremely-wealthy/article_0b339874-fe44-11e8-a715-eb57ef805bb5.html
July 14, 2017
by Rob Wile, Mic.com
If you don't want to write a basic will yourself, you can use online templates from places like Quicken, LegalZoom, and USLegalWills, all of which cost less than $100.
https://www.mic.com/articles/181715/do-i-need-a-will-how-to-write-a-last-will-and-testament-diy-templates-and-when-to-prepare-one
June 30, 2016
by Kate Ashford, Forbes, Personal Finance
It's not just young people without a lot of assets. Among seniors age 65 and older, only half have up-to-date wills in place, the survey found. "We really wanted to explore this group after hearing from people who had a will, but had it written before they got married or had children," said Tim Hewson, CEO of USLegalWills.com, in the press release. "In essence, although they technically had a will, it was worthless."
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kateashford/2016/06/30/no-will/#578003522f20
May 19, 2016
by Beth Pinsker, Reuters
USLegalWills.com posted a 61 percent surge in the number of people completing a will in the three weeks after Prince's death. Prince's relatives, meanwhile, face the expensive and time-consuming process of a state-ordered probate.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-retirement-wills-prince-idUSKCN0YA2QE
November 11, 2015
by Constance Gustke, The New York Times
And some assets like digital currencies, video game characters and Internet domain names exist only in cyberspace. "So they can be overlooked, since they aren't as tangible," said Tim Hewson, president of USLegalWills.com, adding that such assets "can be worth tens of thousands of dollars."
https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/12/your-money/plan-your-digital-legacy-and-update-often.html?_r=0
February 22, 2013
by Arthur Comings, Nerdwallet, Estate Planning
At USLegalWills.com you can step through a series of questions to create a custom, inexpensive, legal will that you can update at any time at no extra charge. The interactive software will catch errors that you might make with a paper form.
https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/investing/estate-planning-cost/
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An overview of the services available at USLegalWills.com, with a focus on our affiliate partnership program.