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No one likes to contemplate their own mortality, especially when you're about to begin a new life with a baby. But planning for your little bundle of joy should also mean looking to the future in the highly unlikely event that something happens to you and your partner. 

To ensure the healthiest and happiest environment for your precious one, all parents and parents-to-be should have a will. "It is essential if you want to make sure your children are protected if something tragic were to happen," says Anna Blood, J.D., a family lawyer and founding attorney at Blood Law, PLLC. "Especially if you have small children, a will and a trust most specifically allow parents to control what happens to their assets when they are gone and specifically to make sure that their assets are used for their children's benefit."

Here's the good news: Making a will doesn't have to be a difficult or time-consuming process. These days, there are legitimate online options to ensure that your will is done correctly, thoroughly and as quickly as possible. Online options are generally reasonably priced as well.

Read on to learn more about making a will as a parent, and the best online options out there that make the process simple.

What should be in your will as a parent?

The purpose of a will is to decide how your money and other assets will be distributed among your loved ones, according to the American Bar Association[1]. If you don't make a will, your state's laws will determine who gets your property.

But when you are the parent of a child under the age of 18, your will serves other important purposes as well. "The will allows parents to detail matters such as how and when their children will inherit the parent's estate, whether assets will be held in trust for the children until they reach adulthood, and who the parent wishes to serve as guardian of their children," explains Ryan Stump, J.D., an estate planning lawyer based in North Carolina who practices at Charlotte Estate Planning.

Every family's financial picture is a little different, so each parent's will may vary to some extent. But the basic elements you'll want to include in your will are:

  • Naming a guardian for any of your children who are under the age of 18; this would be the person who would take care of your kids

  • Outlining how your assets and money will be distributed among your family and friends

  • Determining how any assets inherited by your children will be handled; for example, if they are under 18, you may want the assets to be held in a trust until your children become adults

  • Selecting an executor, which is an adult who will be responsible for distributing your assets after you are gone; they will handle all the financial affairs related to your estate

How we chose the best online wills for parents

We consulted with two estate lawyers to help us make our selections:

  • Anna Blood, J.D., a family lawyer and founder attorney at Blood Law, PPLC with more than six years experience helping families prepare wills and do estate planning. Blood is also the mother of four children herself and relates to the stress families feel about making a will.

  • Ryan Stump, J.D., an estate planning lawyer based in North Carolina with more than 12 years of experience helping with wills, trusts and estate planning.

All of the online wills we recommend allow you to access the counsel of a lawyer, either as part of your online will package or by paying an added fee. The estate lawyers we connected with stressed how important it is to make your will under the supervision of a lawyer, so we made sure only to include online wills with this feature. This doesn't mean you necessarily have to consult with a lawyer to make your online will, but if anything comes up, you can easily access this service.

Best online will maker services

These are our top picks for the best online will makers for parents.

LegalZoom

The basic will package is great for people who want a no-frills, easy-to-make will with no "extras." It costs a flat fee of $89 for a basic will and $99 for a will along with two weeks of legal advice from an attorney. The $10 difference is a good deal and can give you further peace of mind. If you are looking for speed, LegalZoom is for you. It takes about 15 minutes to make a will with this program.

Pros:

  • You can revise your will for free for 30 days. 

  • Free customer service is available seven days a week.

  • You can take an easy five-question questionnaire to generate your online will. 

Cons:

  • If you want any other documents, such as a power of attorney document or a living will, the price goes up to $249.

  • If you've chosen the flat fee with the option of legal advice and want legal services past the first two weeks, you'll need to pay $25 per month. 

Sign up now

Trust and Will

For busy parents who are looking to create a straightforward will, Trust and Will is a great option. All you have to do is answer a series of questions, and you can create your will within 30 minutes or so, give or take. Making a will with Trust and Will requires a one-time fee of $159 per individual or $259 for a couple; this includes an annual membership, which costs $19 a year after the first year. Trust and Will is also known for its stellar customer service, so if you have questions as you move through the process, you should receive speedy answers.

Pros:

  • Membership includes digital storage and the ability to download your documents for free.

  • The one-time fee includes the ability to create a living will, generate a HIPAA authorization (to protect the privacy of your medical records), and designate a power of attorney, in addition to creating a traditional last will and testament.

  • Free customer service is available through chat or phone Monday through Saturday.

  • You can easily download your documents or have them shipped to you for free.

Cons:

  • There is access to an attorney for questions, but it costs an additional $200.

  • You can only have continued online access to your documents if you pay for yearly membership.

Sign up now

Rocket Lawyer

Rocket Lawyer offers various options, and it's great for people who want to ensure that they have access to legal advice while they make their online wills. You have the option to generate a will for free by answering some simple questions, and if you end up needing legal advice, you can add that on. Downloading an online will template is free. It costs $239 a year to access to attorney advice through a service called Rocket Legal +. 

Pros:

Cons:

  • After the free trial period is up, service for legal fees is more expensive than other services.

  • Some users say that the website can be difficult to navigate. 

Sign up now

TotalLegal

TotalLegal not only has an easy online will generator, but it also has options for inexpensive lawyer advice. Overall, the pricing for TotalLegal is reasonable and the products are described as easy to use by online reviewers. A standard will costs a flat fee of $19.95; additional services and document preparation cost more. The TotalLegal Plan offered by the company offers legal services from attorneys for $89 per year.

Pros:

  • The flat rate for a basic will is low.

  • Answer a series of quick questions online, and your will is available instantly to be printed or mailed to you.

Cons:

  • TotalLegal isn't available to people living in the state of Louisiana.

  • The flat fee plans only allow you to update and download products within 60 days of purchase; you have to sign up for a TotalLegal subscription plan for unlimited updates and downloads. 

Sign up now

LegalShield

Looking for an option that more closely resembles what it's like to create a will in person with your lawyer? When you use LegalShield, you do everything online, but a lawyer consults with you every step of the way — from helping you prepare your will to reviewing it after it's been created. Plans that include writing a will are $29.95 a month, or $299.40 per year.

Pros:

  • All plans include access to a lawyer who helps you write your will and reviews it.

  • There are desktop and mobile apps for communicating with lawyers and setting up documents.

  • Your monthly fee allows you to create other legal documents (like a living will and power of attorney) in consultation with a lawyer. 

Cons:

Sign up now

The bottom line

Making a will is something that most parents don't want to think about, let alone do something about. But making a will is actually easier and less painful than you might think. And here's the important part: It will be a huge relief knowing that your children will be properly cared for and provided for in case the worst-case scenario ever were to happen.


Frequently Asked Questions

Creating a will without a lawyer or using an online program is legal and binding, according to the National Council on Aging. Different states have different requirements, but as long as your online will meets your state's requirements, you are good to go. Make sure to check that the service you're interested in using is binding in your state. 

Most online will makers have security features built into their products, similar to the security features that a bank would use. This may include encrypting your data, security audits and software updates. You can consult the online will service you are using regarding the specific security features it provides.

 

Yes, most online wills allow for updates. Some online will companies allow for a certain number of free updates, but others require you to pay for each update or join a subscription service to update your will.

 

 

For most parents, online wills work well on their own. If your estate plan is complex — meaning that it involves multiple beneficiaries, trusts or tax implications, or if you have specific legal questions — you should reach out to an estate lawyer to help you prepare your will.