About
FreeWill is a free, guided online platform that makes estate planning accessible to everyone. In approximately 20 minutes, users can draft a complete last will and testament without any legal fees or credit card requirements. The platform walks users through a straightforward questionnaire and compiles their responses into printable, legally valid documents ready to sign—or to bring as a prepared template to an estate planning attorney. Beyond wills, FreeWill offers a full suite of estate planning tools: advance healthcare directives to specify medical wishes, financial powers of attorney to protect accounts and bill payments, and beneficiary designation documents for assets like 401(k)s, IRAs, and life insurance policies. California residents additionally have access to a revocable living trust to simplify or bypass the state's lengthy probate process. For users with more complex estates, FreeWill flags situations where professional legal counsel is recommended and generates a clean summary of responses to share with an attorney—saving time and reducing consultation costs. The platform remains free through partnerships with over 2,400 nonprofits, which support FreeWill's mission in exchange for exposure to users who may choose to include charitable bequests in their wills. To date, FreeWill has facilitated over $13.8 billion in bequests to charities. FreeWill never sells user data to third parties, making it both a privacy-respecting and cost-free solution for individuals and families looking to get their affairs in order.
Key Features
- Last Will & Testament: Create a legally valid will in about 20 minutes covering guardianship for children, care for pets, asset distribution, and charitable gifts.
- Advance Healthcare Directive: Specify your medical wishes and appoint a trusted person to make healthcare decisions on your behalf if you become incapacitated.
- Financial Power of Attorney: Designate someone to manage your financial accounts and ensure bills are paid if you're unable to handle finances yourself.
- Beneficiary Designations: Document and distribute assets not covered by a will—such as 401(k)s, IRAs, and life insurance policies—to the right people.
- Revocable Living Trust (California): California residents can create a revocable living trust to fulfill the functions of a will and bypass the state's lengthy probate process.
Use Cases
- Parents with minor children who need to legally designate a guardian in the event of an unexpected death.
- Individuals who want to appoint a trusted person to make medical or financial decisions on their behalf if they become incapacitated.
- Pet owners who want to formally designate a caretaker for their animals as part of their estate plan.
- Donors who want to leave a lasting charitable bequest to a nonprofit or cause they care about in their will.
- California residents seeking to create a revocable living trust to simplify asset transfer and avoid the state's lengthy probate process.
Pros
- Completely Free with No Hidden Fees: All estate planning tools are provided at zero cost with no credit card required, funded entirely by nonprofit partnerships.
- Fast and Guided Process: A step-by-step questionnaire walks users through the entire process in about 20 minutes, requiring no prior legal knowledge.
- Privacy-Respecting: FreeWill does not sell personal data to third parties, ensuring sensitive estate planning information remains private.
- Attorney-Ready Summaries: For complex situations, the platform generates a printable summary of your responses that you can bring to an estate planning attorney to reduce consultation time and cost.
Cons
- Not Designed for Complex Estates: FreeWill is best suited for straightforward situations; those with complex financial, business, or blended-family needs may require professional legal counsel.
- Living Trust Limited to California: The revocable living trust feature is only available to California residents, leaving users in all other states without this option.
- No Fully Digital Execution: Documents must be printed, signed, and witnessed (or notarized per state law) to become legally valid—there is no end-to-end digital signing workflow.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is FreeWill really free?
Yes. FreeWill is 100% free with no credit card required. The service is funded by partnerships with over 2,400 nonprofits that support FreeWill's mission to make estate planning accessible to everyone.
Are the documents created on FreeWill legally valid?
Yes. FreeWill generates legally valid document forms. Once printed and signed according to your state's requirements (typically requiring witnesses and sometimes notarization), the documents are enforceable legal instruments.
What estate planning documents can I create with FreeWill?
You can create a last will and testament, advance healthcare directive, durable financial power of attorney, and beneficiary designation forms. California residents can also create a revocable living trust.
How long does it take to make a will with FreeWill?
Most users complete their will in approximately 20 minutes by answering a guided series of questions about their assets, beneficiaries, guardianship wishes, and more.
What if my estate planning situation is complicated?
FreeWill is designed for straightforward estate planning. If your situation is complex, the platform will flag those areas and provide a printable summary of your answers that you can bring to an estate planning attorney to save time and reduce costs.
