will.com / FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about estate planning on will.com.
What documents does will.com offer?
Will.com offers five documents, all free: a will, a living trust, a healthcare directive, a durable power of attorney, and a letter of instruction. No account required.
Are documents made on will.com legally valid?
Yes, for the 49 states and D.C. we support. Each document is valid when it meets your state's execution requirements, typically signing in front of witnesses and, for some documents, notarization. Will.com generates documents that satisfy the legal requirements for your state. The document itself is just paper. Its validity comes from how you execute it, not from who generated it.
Do I need a lawyer?
No. Attorneys are not required for any of these documents to be legally valid. A straightforward estate plan, naming who gets your assets, who raises your children, who makes medical and financial decisions for you, is something most people can do without legal help. Where an attorney adds genuine value: complex estates, business interests, blended families with significant assets, or situations where you expect documents to be contested. For most people, having proper documents in place is far better than having none at all.
What states does will.com support?
Will.com supports 49 states and the District of Columbia. The one exception is Louisiana, which operates under a civil law system derived from French and Spanish law rather than the English common law used by every other state. Louisiana requirements are fundamentally different, and we don't currently support them. If you live in Louisiana, consult an estate planning attorney.
Is my information private?
Yes. Will.com doesn't store the content of your documents. Your draft answers are saved on your device so you can resume later, and you can clear them anytime. No account or email is required. Once your PDF is ready, print it, sign it, and store it somewhere your family can find it.
What's the difference between a will and a living trust?
A will says who gets your assets and who raises your children. It takes effect when you die and must go through a public court process called probate. A living trust also says who gets your assets, but it avoids probate entirely because assets in the trust transfer directly to your beneficiaries without court involvement. A trust is private, faster, and often cheaper for your family. Most people who create a trust also need a "pour-over will" as a backup for any assets not in the trust. Will.com includes one automatically with every living trust.
What is a healthcare directive?
A healthcare directive (also called an advance directive or living will) does two things: it names someone you trust to make medical decisions for you if you can't speak for yourself, and it records your wishes about specific treatments, like life support, resuscitation, and pain management. Without one, your family may disagree about your care, or a court may appoint someone you wouldn't have chosen.
What is a durable power of attorney?
A durable power of attorney names someone you trust to manage your finances if you become unable to: paying bills, managing investments, handling real estate, filing taxes. "Durable" means it stays in effect even if you become incapacitated. Without one, your family must petition a court for guardianship, which is expensive, slow, and public.
How many witnesses do I need?
For a will: two witnesses in all 49 supported states and D.C. Your witnesses must watch you sign (or you must acknowledge to them that you already signed), and then sign the will themselves. Witnesses cannot be beneficiaries. Requirements for other documents vary by state. Will.com provides specific signing instructions for each document you create.
Do I need to notarize my documents?
For a will, notarization is not required but is recommended. It creates a signed statement that speeds up the court process, so your witnesses don't have to testify later. For healthcare directives and powers of attorney, some states require notarization. Will.com tells you exactly what your state requires for each document after you generate it.
Can I change my documents after I make them?
Yes, at any time. For a will, the simplest approach is to make a new one, which revokes the old. For a living trust, healthcare directive, or power of attorney, you can generate a new version whenever your situation changes. Everything is free, so regenerate as often as you need. Review your documents after any major life event: marriage, divorce, new child, death of a beneficiary, moving to a new state, or significant change in assets.
What if I move to a different state?
Documents are generally honored across state lines, but your new state may have different rules that interact with your documents in ways you didn't intend. If you move states, we recommend regenerating your documents for your new state. Everything is free, so you can do this anytime.
What happens to my digital assets?
Standard estate planning documents don't automatically cover digital assets well. Cryptocurrency requires whoever holds your private keys or seed phrase. Without those, the assets are inaccessible regardless of what your documents say. Email, social media, and cloud storage have their own platform rules. We recommend using our digital legacy guide to set up legacy contacts on Google, Apple, and Facebook, and to document your crypto access instructions in a private letter of instruction (not in your will, which becomes a public document at probate).
How much does it cost?
Everything is free. Will, living trust, healthcare directive, and power of attorney, all of them. No hidden fees, no upsells, no subscriptions. You can regenerate your documents whenever your situation changes.
Is this legal advice?
No. Will.com provides legal documents and information, not legal advice. There is no attorney-client relationship between you and will.com. If you have specific questions about your legal situation, especially for complex estates, business interests, blended families, or contested situations, consult a licensed estate planning attorney in your state.