Is an online will right for me?

Start with your wishes

You may be able to use an online service if you know who should inherit and your plans are fairly simple. That still leaves some checks to make.

• Can you explain who should receive each gift and what is left over?
• Have you chosen an executor to carry out your wishes?
• Does the service cover the country where your will is needed?
• Does it give the kind of checking and support you want?
• Do you understand what happens after it creates the document?

A service’s own checks matter. A general checklist cannot confirm that an online will is right for you.

Get advice if an important point is unclear

Talk to a solicitor before choosing a standard service if:

• You have children from an earlier relationship.
• You own a business or property abroad.
• You want to support someone who cannot manage money alone.
• You share a home with someone you are not married to.
• You want a trust, special conditions or to leave someone out.
• A dispute, pressure or the person’s ability to understand is a concern.

These are reasons to ask questions, not proof that your wishes cannot be met. Find out how to choose a solicitor.

Check the help behind the form

Ask who reads your answers and what they check. Some services offer more help than others. A spelling check is not the same as advice on your family’s needs.

Find out what happens if your answers show that the service cannot help. Ask whether you can speak to someone and whether extra advice costs more.

Know what you will need to do

You will need to check the draft and follow the signing instructions. For an ordinary will in England and Wales, plan for two adult witnesses. Keep the signed original safe and tell your executor where it is.

If the online route still looks suitable, compare the service before you pay. You do not need to decide today.