FreeWill is a real online self-help document service. FreeWill says its will is free, but you still need to print it and complete your state’s signing and witness steps before relying on it.
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| FreeWill at a glance | What the service says |
|---|---|
| Cost | $0; no credit card required. |
| Documents | Will, advance healthcare directive, financial power of attorney, and revocable living trust (California residents only, according to FreeWill). |
| How it works | Answer questions, download a PDF, print, sign, and store it safely. |
| Attorney access | FreeWill describes its product as self-help software and information, not attorney advice for your situation. |
| Product Page | Product Page |
How does FreeWill say it is free?
FreeWill says its no-cost estate-planning tools are supported by nonprofit partners. The service says users can choose whether to include a charitable gift while creating an estate plan, and that a gift is not required to obtain documents.
Prices shown October 28, 2026; check the service before starting in case its offerings change. FreeWill identifies FreeWill Co., a Delaware Public Benefit Corporation, as the operator of FreeWill.com.
What documents can you make with FreeWill?
FreeWill lists a Last Will & Testament, Advance Healthcare Directive, Financial Power of Attorney, and Revocable Living Trust among its individual products. Its LegalZoom comparison says the revocable living trust is for California residents only.
A will can address property and nominations permitted under applicable state law; confirm your state’s rules. An advance healthcare directive addresses medical wishes if you cannot communicate. FreeWill offers a Financial Power of Attorney. These are separate documents; see this guide to power of attorney for the questions to settle before naming an agent.
What do you have to do after downloading the will?
FreeWill says you answer questions online, download and print a PDF, then follow its instructions for signing and witnessing. Its FAQ says you sign before two witnesses, while Louisiana users sign with two witnesses in the presence of a notary.
Your state’s rule controls. California Probate Code section 6240 provides a clear example: the maker signs a statutory will in the presence of two adult witnesses, and the witnesses sign in the maker’s presence and in each other’s presence. Read the California statutory will form for those California-specific steps.
California Courts also explains that property transfer after death may involve probate court. Its wills and probate guide separates planning documents from the later process of transferring property.
Is a will, a trust, or both right for you?
Whether a will, trust, or both fit depends on applicable state law and your circumstances. The IRS says a gross estate can include cash, securities, real estate, insurance, trusts, annuities, business interests, and other assets. That breadth is a reason to identify exactly what you own before choosing documents; the IRS estate tax overview explains the federal estate-property categories.
Questions about a house, bank account, long-term care, beneficiary designations, public benefits, a blended family, a business, or special-needs planning call for state-specific legal help before you decide whether a trust belongs in the plan.
When can you use an online service, and when is a lawyer worth paying for?
FreeWill’s service may suit you when your wishes are straightforward, you can complete the document accurately, and you are prepared to handle the required signing steps. FreeWill says people with a particularly large or complicated estate may want an attorney to draft the will; it also says it can provide a summary of documented wishes to bring to an attorney.
| Option | What it can help you do |
|---|---|
| FreeWill self-help documents | Organize straightforward wishes and produce a printable document. |
| Licensed estate-planning attorney | Apply your state’s law to complicated property, family, tax, benefit, or trust questions. |
| Free or low-cost legal help | Find local civil legal assistance when paying a lawyer is the barrier. |
USA.gov legal aid directs people to state-based sources of free and low-cost legal help. The Legal Services Corporation locator helps people search for LSC-funded organizations by location. You can also use free legal aid to map out that route.
Are reviews, BBB posts, and Reddit enough to decide?
FreeWill says users can send feedback to help@freewill.com and points people to Trustpilot and BBB for reviews. Use customer feedback to understand another person’s experience with the website, support, or document process. Use your state’s rules to confirm the signing process for your own will.
FreeWill says a changed will can be handled by creating and executing a new will, then destroying the earlier version. If you are considering a codicil instead, confirm the state requirements before signing one.
Comparing FreeWill with other options
Free court self-help, legal aid, and other online legal services are compared in the online legal services guide. Read it alongside this page to weigh FreeWill against the rest before you choose a will service.
Before you start
- Choose the state whose signing rules apply to you.
- List your property, beneficiaries, executor, and any guardian choices.
- Confirm whether the trust option is offered where you live and what property-transfer steps it requires.
- Bring home, bank-account, long-term-care, benefit, or business questions to a licensed estate-planning attorney.
- Use FreeWill support for account and document-process questions.
This is legal information, not legal advice for your circumstances.
By LegalHelpOnline.org Legal Research & Editorial Team