Originally published: October 1, 2014 | Last updated: June 23, 2025
TL;DR: An “online Will” is a Will prepared using an online service — not a Will that exists only in digital form. U.S. law requires every Will to be printed on paper, signed by the testator, and witnessed by two independent witnesses. Online Will services like USLegalWills.com generate the document for you through guided questions; you then print, sign, and witness it. Online preparation offers significant advantages over traditional methods, including forgery protection, secure storage, version control, disaster resilience, and ease of retrieval.
We are seeing an increasing number of articles about “online Wills,” but the definition remains vague.
What Is a Last Will and Testament?
The law establishes specific requirements which determine what qualifies as a valid Last Will and Testament across different legal regions.
- Written or typed on a piece of paper
- Signed by the testator (the person making the Will)
- Witnessed by two independent witnesses who have nothing to gain from the contents of the Will
The term “usually” applies because certain areas let people create “holographic Wills” through handwritten documents which need no two witnesses for validation.
Each state requires its law to have a document which exists only as a physical paper document.
What Is an Online Will, Then?
At USLegalWills.com, we offer an “online, Will service” – meaning that you can prepare your Will entirely online. The placement of that comma is crucial. There is no legal recognition of an “online Will” as a standalone digital document. Many services claim to let you “store your Will online,” but any digitally stored document – whether a facsimile, scanned copy, or digitized version – is not legally admissible in probate courts.
The main function of an online Will service involves helping users answer questions about their family and possessions and desired outcomes before creating a valid legal Will document.
- Online Will services which operate through the internet solve multiple problems that paper-based Wills create.
- The law demands that people create printed Wills which they must sign before getting witnesses.
- Forgery protection
Digital signatures provide mathematical authentication. - You then sign it in the presence of two witnesses
Version control Only one current version exists online.
What Are the Advantages of an Online Will Service?
Privacy and security Keyholder systems provide better security than sealed envelopes.
| Advantage | How Online Services Solve It |
|---|---|
| Forgery protection | Digital signatures are a mathematical way of authenticating identity – nearly impossible to forge, unlike a handwritten scrawl |
| Privacy and security | Keyholder systems ensure only authorized people can access the document at the right time – far more secure than a sealed envelope in a bedside table |
| Version control | Only one current version exists online, eliminating the common problem of multiple conflicting Wills surfacing during probate |
| Disaster resilience | Paper deteriorates and can be destroyed by floods, fires, or hurricanes. Online backups survive natural disasters |
| Findability | The most common question we receive: “My parent had a Will, but we cannot find it.” If the Will cannot be found, legally it does not exist |
Will the Law Ever Accept Digital-Only Wills?
The online process for creating a Will at USLegalWills.com takes around 20 minutes to complete.
Related reading:
How Do I Create a Will Online?
Comparing LegalZoom with USLegalWills
Related reading:
- Write Your Own Will – 10 Reasons Why It Makes Sense
- Comparing LegalZoom with USLegalWills
- 10 Ridiculous Warnings Lawyers Give About Online Will Services
- Write Your Own Will – 10 Reasons Why It Makes Sense
- Comparing LegalZoom with USLegalWills
He has over 20 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.
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