Originally published: September 26, 2019 | Last updated: February 9, 2026
You do not need a lawyer to write a Will. A lawyer, or estate planning attorney, is trained in the law. If you have doubts about a particular situation and need a legal opinion, you should speak to a lawyer. But most people who write a Will do not need to consult a legal professional.
For example, a Will that leaves everything to your spouse, and in a common accident divides your estate between your children, is a very standard Last Will and Testament. There is no legal nuance, and you would not need legal advice. Even adding a trust for a minor child and naming a guardian is still a simple Will. There is no reason to pay $500 or more for this type of document.
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Can You Write Your Own Will?
Yes. Everybody has the right to prepare their Will. There is no legal requirement to use a lawyer, estate planning attorney, or notary. You can in theory write your Will on the back of a napkin and it would be a perfectly legal Last Will and Testament.
To be legal, a Will simply has to be:
- Written (typed or handwritten)
- Signed by you
- Signed in the presence of two witnesses (for typed Wills)
A Will written entirely in your own handwriting is called a “holographic” Will. It is special because it does not have to be witnessed. Most states (but not all) accept a holographic Will signed without witnesses. However, handwriting your own Will is not recommended unless you find yourself in a desperate situation.
Is It Legal to Write Your Own Will?
Yes. Every state has its own laws describing the requirements for a legal Last Will and Testament, found in their respective Probate Codes (e.g., the California Probate Code, the Texas Probate Code). These laws are remarkably similar across states. They all describe a legal Will as a document expressed in writing, signed in the presence of two adult witnesses who cannot be beneficiaries in the Will.
All states allow you to write your own Will. No legal statute in any state requires you to use a lawyer or attorney.
What Is a Holographic Will?
A holographic Will is a document written entirely in your own handwriting. It does not require witnesses — it can be simply signed and it is accepted by the courts. The law allows this to address desperate situations where witnesses are unavailable.
The following states recognize holographic Wills: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
Important: Writing your own Will does not mean preparing a holographic Will. When you write a Will using USLegalWills.com, you are producing a standard typed Will signed in the presence of two witnesses — accepted in all US states. For more details, see our article on holographic Wills.
How Can You Write Your Own Will?
There are three approaches, each with distinct advantages and disadvantages:
| Method | Cost | Quality | Convenience |
|---|---|---|---|
| Handwrite / blank-form kit | $0–$5 | Poor | Immediate |
| Estate planning attorney | $500–$1,000+ | High | Low |
| Online Will service | $39.95–$100 | High | High |
Option 1: Handwrite Your Will or Use a Blank-Form Kit
You could literally handwrite a Will on a blank piece of paper. Even attorneys use software to prepare Wills — very few trust their own ability to write a quality document starting from scratch. The advantage is it costs nothing, but it could cost your family a fortune if you make errors.
Blank-form kits attempt to add structure but often have so much blank space that they are nearly impossible to complete correctly. They are rarely state-specific, not usually kept up to date, and leave too much to the user.
Option 2: Write Your Will with a Lawyer
An estate planning attorney provides legal advice and tax planning guidance. This is valuable if you have a child with special needs, doubts about the legal implications of your plan, or a complex estate. However, lawyers typically charge upwards of $800 for a simple Will and the process is inconvenient — requiring multiple office visits, time off work, and potentially childcare arrangements.
Option 3: Use an Online Interactive Service
Online Will writing services give you a professional-grade document at the price of a Will kit. Services like USLegalWills.com guide you through the process, check for errors, and translate your answers into a complete legal Will. They now support charitable bequests, pet trusts, minor trusts, lifetime interest trusts, and even overseas assets.
Can I Write My Own Will for Free?
You can write a Last Will and Testament for free, but it is very difficult to write a well-drafted, quality Will at no cost.
Free Will services operate by one of three methods:
- The final document is inadequate — not prepared by lawyers, not kept up to date, and likely unenforceable
- The service claims to be free but charges add-on services or monthly subscriptions
- The service sells your personal information to third parties like insurance companies
The service at USLegalWills.com costs $39.95. This covers the legal team, customer support, software development, and marketing costs. If a service charges nothing, no one is backing up the quality. For a detailed analysis, see our article on why free Will templates are not all they seem.
Can I Use a Will Template to Write My Own Will?
No two situations are the same. The software at USLegalWills.com has hundreds of different permutations of Wills it can create. Blank-form templates are usually created for one specific state and then differentiate between single, married, and married with children — but they cannot account for adult vs. minor children, pet trusts, charitable bequests, lifetime interest trusts for blended families, and dozens of other variables.
By using a blank template, you will not know what your Will is missing. Interactive software produces a far more thorough and reliable result.
Ten Reasons Why Writing Your Own Will Makes Sense
1. Writing Your Own Will Is Affordable
Writing your own Will using an online interactive service costs 90–95% less than using an estate planning attorney. Attorney prices for Will writing typically start at $500 and can push well over $1,000 if you include trusts. The cost at USLegalWills.com is $39.95 — no sliding scale, no increased costs for multiple bequests, guardianship, pet trusts, lifetime interest trusts, or charitable bequests. And the resulting document is word-for-word identical to one prepared by a lawyer, because we use the exact same software.
2. Preparing Your Own Will Is Convenient
Convenience is actually the top reason most people choose USLegalWills.com. Writing a Will through a lawyer requires booking time off work, coordinating with your spouse, arranging childcare, meeting the attorney, consulting with family on key appointments, scheduling a follow-up appointment, and returning for the review and signing. With an online service, you can put your children to bed, sit on the sofa with your partner and an iPad, and write your Will in 20 minutes.
3. Writing Your Own Will Teaches You About Estate Planning
When you use a service like USLegalWills.com, you learn about your Will and the clauses that go into it. The help text, plain language, and customer support ensure that at the end, you have a document you understand — not something somebody has put together for you without your comprehension.
4. Making Your Own Will Allows You to Give It Thought
The Will writing service asks questions you may not have considered: charitable bequests, pet care, contingency beneficiaries, backup Executor. While USLegalWills.com can be completed in 20 minutes, there is no requirement to rush. You can save your work and continue the next day. If you meet with an attorney, you may feel pressured to finish in one sitting. When you write your own Will, you can take as long as you need.
5. Updating Your Will Is Much Easier
Traditionally, updating a Will was expensive and inconvenient, causing people to postpone writing one until the “perfect moment” — which never arrives. Life changes constantly: marriages, new children, an Executor taken ill, guardians moving overseas, a beneficiary’s windfall. No matter when you write your Will, it will likely need updating. With an online service, you log in, make the change, and print the new Will in 5 minutes. With a lawyer, you may be quoted $500 just to change an Executor appointment.
6. You Can Be More Thorough in Your Distribution Plan
Your Last Will and Testament is an opportunity to change lives. You can leave charitable bequests, leave legacies to loved ones, and direct prized possessions to people who will actually appreciate them. You can leave $10,000 to your church, $5,000 to your niece for education, your guitar to your grandson, or your signed baseball card to the person who will treasure it. Without a Will, everything is distributed by a state formula — after being auctioned off to strangers.
7. Write Your Own Will and Make Your Own Appointments
Many estate planning attorneys write Wills at a discounted rate to win the more lucrative part: administering your estate. A professional Executor charges an hourly rate on top of a percentage of your estate. Transferring a $500,000 home could cost your beneficiaries around $20,000 in Executor fees for half a day’s work.
It makes more sense to name a family member or friend as your Executor, then let them hire professional help as needed on an hourly basis — rather than paying a percentage of your entire estate. When you write your own Will, you choose whoever you wish.
8. Using an Online Service Gives You More Features
Online Will services have expanded far beyond simple document preparation. At USLegalWills.com, complementary services include:
- MyVault — upload important files to be retrieved by your loved ones
- MyMessages — prepare pre-written messages to be distributed after you pass away
- MyLifeLocker — maintain an inventory of assets for your Executor
- MyKeyholder — ensures the right information reaches the right people at the right time
Writing your Will is the critical first step, but eventually your assets must reach your beneficiaries. These tools help your Executor with that task. An estate planning attorney will not provide these services.
9. You Can Change Your Mind
People who use USLegalWills.com login to their accounts an average of 2.4 times per year. Writing your Will is not a once-in-a-lifetime activity. You may put something in your Will that no longer reflects your wishes, or you may simply change your mind. With an online service, you login, adjust your distribution plan, and print the updated Will in minutes.
10. If You Write Your Own Will — You Will Actually Get It Done
A USLegalWills.com survey revealed that only 28% of American adults have an up-to-date Will. Only half of Americans over 65 have a current Will — and that age category fared better than every other group.
Why don’t people write their Will? The process has traditionally been inconvenient and expensive. People wait because they only want to do it once, and once done, they are reluctant to make changes. With an online service, the barriers disappear:
- Takes 20 minutes
- Works on iPad, computer, or smartphone
- Costs $39.95 ($79.95 for a couple’s package)
- Easy to update at any time
For more on this topic, see our article on how many Americans lack Wills.
Related Articles
- Last Will and Testament – What It Is, When You Need It, How to Write It
- How Much Does a Will Cost? And Why?
- How to Write a Will: Your 10 Step Guide to Success
- The Six Most Common Errors in a DIY Will
- 10 Ridiculous Warnings Lawyers Give About Online Will Services
- Making a Will: 5 Reasons to Not Procrastinate
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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