{"id":1397,"date":"2025-07-17T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-17T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/?p=1397"},"modified":"2026-06-09T13:49:15","modified_gmt":"2026-06-09T17:49:15","slug":"10-ridiculous-warnings-against-online-will-services","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/10-ridiculous-warnings-against-online-will-services\/","title":{"rendered":"10 ridiculous warnings lawyers give about online Will services"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\n  \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n  \"@type\": \"Article\",\n  \"headline\": \"10 Ridiculous Warnings Lawyers Give About Online Will Services\",\n  \"datePublished\": \"2014-10-08\",\n  \"dateModified\": \"2025-06-30\",\n  \"author\": {\"@type\": \"Person\", \"name\": \"Tim Hewson\", \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\"},\n  \"publisher\": {\"@type\": \"Organization\", \"name\": \"USLegalWills.com\", \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\"},\n  \"description\": \"Debunking the 10 most common warnings lawyers give about online Will services, from 'you must use a lawyer' to 'courts won't accept it.'\",\n  \"speakable\": {\"@type\": \"SpeakableSpecification\", \"cssSelector\": [\".tldr-box\", \"article h2\"]}\n}<\/script>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\n  \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n  \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\n  \"mainEntity\": [\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"Question\",\n      \"name\": \"Do I need a lawyer to write a Will?\",\n      \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"No. There is nothing in any legal statute requiring a lawyer to create a valid Last Will and Testament. If the document is signed in the presence of two independent adult witnesses, it is a perfectly legal Will. Online Will services provide a cost-effective alternative to hiring an attorney.\"}\n    },\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"Question\",\n      \"name\": \"Can an online Will be challenged in court?\",\n      \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Any Will can be challenged, regardless of how it was created. There are five specific legal grounds for challenging a Will: lack of testamentary capacity, undue influence, fraud, improper execution, or failure to provide for dependents. A Will cannot be challenged simply because it was created using an online service.\"}\n    },\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"Question\",\n      \"name\": \"Do courts accept Wills created by online services?\",\n      \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Yes. A Will created using an online service like USLegalWills.com looks identical to one created through a lawyer's office. When submitted to probate, it is accepted in exactly the same way. Courts evaluate the document itself, not the method used to create it.\"}\n    }\n  ]\n}<\/script>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Originally published: October 8, 2014 | Last updated: June 30, 2025<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-group tldr-box has-background\" style=\"border-left-color:#2980b9;border-left-width:4px;background-color:#f0f7fb;padding-top:20px;padding-right:20px;padding-bottom:20px;padding-left:20px\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>TL;DR:<\/strong> Lawyers frequently discourage people from using online Will services, but most of their warnings are misleading or outright false. No law requires a lawyer to create a valid Will. Online Wills cannot be challenged simply because they were created online. Courts accept them equally. An interactive online Will service like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/mywill\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">USLegalWills.com<\/a> uses the same software that lawyers use \u2014 it just gives you direct access at a fraction of the cost.\n<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n<p>The internet contains ongoing discussions about whether people should make their own Wills through online services. The legal community faces an overwhelming flood of false information which lawyers actively spread throughout their professional environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To be clear: we are defending interactive online Will services like the one at USLegalWills.com , not blank-form DIY Will kits from office supply stores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We have identified ten major incorrect warnings which contain false information about our service while we present the actual facts which prove these warnings wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"265\" data-attachment-id=\"1398\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/10-ridiculous-warnings-against-online-will-services\/lawyer-answer\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/lawyer-answer.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"750,265\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"lawyer answer\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/lawyer-answer.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/lawyer-answer.jpg\" alt=\"Online Will service\" class=\"wp-image-1398\" style=\"width:750px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/lawyer-answer.jpg 750w, https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/lawyer-answer-300x106.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. &#8220;You Must Use a Lawyer&#8221;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The claim:<\/strong> In a non-emergency situation, you MUST get your Will written through a lawyer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The fact: There is nothing written in any legal statute decreeing that a lawyer must be used to create a legal Last Will and Testament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. &#8220;A Lawyer Will Certify That You Are of Sound Mind&#8221;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The claim:<\/strong> By signing the Will in the presence of a lawyer, they will certify that you are of sound mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The fact: Lawyers do not receive psychiatric training. The short 20-minute meeting between them and you will not enable them to identify your mental condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. &#8220;An Online Will Can Be Challenged&#8221;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The claim:<\/strong> A Will created online is vulnerable to legal challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The fact:<\/strong> Any Will can be challenged, but there are only five specific legal grounds for a successful challenge:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The testator lacked testamentary capacity<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The testator was under undue influence or pressure<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Will was created fraudulently<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Will was not signed correctly<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>No provision was made for dependents<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>A Will cannot be challenged on the basis that it was created using an online service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. &#8220;It Doesn&#8217;t Take Into Account Different State Laws&#8221;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The claim:<\/strong> Online services use a one-size-fits-all approach that ignores state-specific laws.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The fact: This is a reasonable claim against blank-form Will kits, but not against interactive online services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. &#8220;You Won&#8217;t Sign It Correctly&#8221;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The claim:<\/strong> Each state has its own particular signing requirements that you will not understand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The fact:<\/strong> All states require that the document is signed in the presence of two witnesses who have nothing to gain from the contents of the Will. If you do this, the signing requirements of every state in the U.S. have been met. The witnesses cannot be beneficiaries in the Will, nor should they be the spouse of a beneficiary. We also recommend that each page is initialed by you and your witnesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">6. &#8220;You May Miss Something Important&#8221;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The claim:<\/strong> Without a lawyer, you will forget critical provisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The fact:<\/strong> You are actually <em>less<\/em> likely to miss something when you use an online Will service. Here is why:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>You can take your time.<\/strong> USLegalWills.com gives you up to one year to make sure the document reflects your wishes. In a 20-minute lawyer meeting, you may forget things.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The service prompts you. The interactive service system makes you evaluate every appointment and choice which includes digital assets and pets and charitable bequests that you might have forgotten to tell your lawyer about.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Updates are easy and free.<\/strong> If you remember something a week later, you can update immediately without paying additional fees.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">7. &#8220;You Wouldn&#8217;t Take Out Your Own Appendix&#8221;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The claim:<\/strong> Writing a Will without a lawyer is comparable to performing surgery on yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The fact: This comparison is nonsensical. Writing your own Will, in most cases, is more straightforward than filing your taxes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">8. &#8220;You Get What You Pay For&#8221;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The claim:<\/strong> A cheap online Will cannot be as good as an expensive one from a lawyer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The fact: People come to us having been quoted up to $1,500 for a Will &#8211; more commonly around $800.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>See our detailed cost comparison: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/cost-of-a-will\/\">How Much Does a Will Cost?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">9. &#8220;Everybody Messes These Wills Up&#8221;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The claim:<\/strong> Non-lawyers always make mistakes when creating their own Will.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The fact:<\/strong> The vast majority of people create a perfectly well-drafted Will using our service. The well-publicized mistakes with DIY Wills almost always involve blank-form kits  &#8211;  like the case of a senior, Ann Aldrich, who attempted to list all of her assets in a blank form without including a residual beneficiary. This type of mistake is <strong>impossible<\/strong> with an interactive online service like USLegalWills.com, because the service guides you through every scenario and ensures nothing is overlooked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">10. &#8220;The Courts Do Not Accept an Online Will&#8221;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The claim:<\/strong> Probate courts will reject a Will made using an online service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The fact: A Will created using USLegalWills.com looks exactly the same as one created through a lawyer\u2019s office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Bottom Line<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>People naturally develop a fear of legal matters but the rules exist to defend your rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Related reading:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/the-online-will\/\">The Online Will  &#8211;  What It Really Means<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/write-your-own-will\/\">Write Your Own Will  &#8211;  10 Reasons Why It Makes Sense<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/a-simple-will\/\">A Simple Will  &#8211;  How Much Should I Pay?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/comparing-legalzoom-with-uslegalwills\/\">Comparing LegalZoom with USLegalWills<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Originally published: October 8, 2014 | Last updated: June 30, 2025 TL;DR: Lawyers frequently discourage people from using online Will services, but most of their warnings are misleading or outright false. No law requires a lawyer to create a valid Will. Online Wills cannot be challenged simply because they were created online. Courts accept them [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[183,178],"tags":[195,185,204,189,104,114,193,201],"class_list":["post-1397","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general","category-wills","tag-contesting","tag-cost","tag-featured","tag-myths","tag-signing-a-will","tag-write-your-will","tag-witnessing","tag-writing-a-will"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\r\n<title>10 ridiculous warnings lawyers give about online Will services<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"There are many reasons why an online Will writing service may be the best option for you. You may have come across warnings about the dangers of writing your own Will. There is a difference between a blank kit and an online service, and some of the warnings are plain nonsense. We highlight some of the most ridiculous.\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\r\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1397\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"10 ridiculous warnings lawyers give about online Will services\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"There are many reasons why an online Will writing service may be the best option for you. You may have come across warnings about the dangers of writing your own Will. There is a difference between a blank kit and an online service, and some of the warnings are plain nonsense. We highlight some of the most ridiculous.\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/10-ridiculous-warnings-against-online-will-services\/\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The U.S. Legal Wills Blog\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/legalwills\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-07-17T16:00:00+00:00\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-06-09T17:49:15+00:00\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/lawyer-answer.jpg\" \/>\r\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"750\" \/>\r\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"265\" \/>\r\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Tim Hewson\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Tim Hewson\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\r\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uslegalwills.com\\\/blog\\\/10-ridiculous-warnings-against-online-will-services\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uslegalwills.com\\\/blog\\\/10-ridiculous-warnings-against-online-will-services\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Tim Hewson\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uslegalwills.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/ccff18ac4aeb6f68ba2c609077f8c323\"},\"headline\":\"10 ridiculous warnings lawyers give about online Will services\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-07-17T16:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-06-09T17:49:15+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uslegalwills.com\\\/blog\\\/10-ridiculous-warnings-against-online-will-services\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":889,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uslegalwills.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uslegalwills.com\\\/blog\\\/10-ridiculous-warnings-against-online-will-services\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uslegalwills.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2014\\\/10\\\/lawyer-answer.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"contesting\",\"cost\",\"featured\",\"myths\",\"signing\",\"wills\",\"witnessing\",\"writing a will\"],\"articleSection\":[\"General\",\"Wills\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uslegalwills.com\\\/blog\\\/10-ridiculous-warnings-against-online-will-services\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uslegalwills.com\\\/blog\\\/10-ridiculous-warnings-against-online-will-services\\\/\",\"name\":\"10 ridiculous warnings lawyers give about online Will services\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uslegalwills.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uslegalwills.com\\\/blog\\\/10-ridiculous-warnings-against-online-will-services\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uslegalwills.com\\\/blog\\\/10-ridiculous-warnings-against-online-will-services\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uslegalwills.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2014\\\/10\\\/lawyer-answer.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-07-17T16:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-06-09T17:49:15+00:00\",\"description\":\"There are many reasons why an online Will writing service may be the best option for you. 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