Online will-writing and estate planning platform DoYourOwnWill.com boasts features that cover a wide variety of will-related situations. Surprisingly, you won’t have to pay anything to take advantage of what the company offers. At the same token, DoYourOwnWill is relatively basic, and those with more complex estate planning needs may want to look elsewhere. DoYourOwnWill also doesn’t provide access to customer support if you run into any issues along the way. Should you have specific questions, consider working with a local financial advisor.
DoYourOwnWill.com Overview
| Pros | – Completely free service – Simple and easy to understand |
| Cons | – Lacks some of the in-depth services of its competitors – Minimal customer service |
| Best For | – Those with minimal estate planning experience |
DoYourOwnWill.com: Services and Features
DoYourOwnWill is a simple, easy-to-use service available to anyone with access to a web browser. While you may need to look elsewhere if you have complicated estate planning needs, DoYourOwnWill actually covers more situations than you might expect.
Here’s what you’ll have access to when you use this free platform:
- Guardianships for both people and pets
- Simple trusts
- Bequests
- Memorial preferences
- Living wills
- Durable and general power of attorney
- Digital asset management
To take advantage of this company’s features, all you need to do is go to DoYourOwnWill.com and start the process of opening an account. From beginning to end, creating your will takes only about 15 minutes, and it won’t cost you any money. However, if you’re interested in general estate planning or estate planning as it relates to homeownership, consider using an outside service as well.
You may be wondering how DoYourOwnWill can possibly operate as a free service. Well, the website earns revenue from advertisements and affiliate relationships, so you won’t have to worry about pesky fees that arise once your will is complete. In fact, once you finish creating your will, you can simply download it as a PDF.
One drawback of using DoYourOwnWill is that you won’t have access to a convenient support hotline or chatline, though email support is available. While you don’t need an account to use the platform, it’s a good idea to make one so you can go back and change or update your will when needed.
DoYourOwnWill.com: Pricing
DoYourOwnWill.com is completely free, unlike almost every other platform that exists for will-writing or estate planning. Instead of a membership or per-service price model, the site makes its money from affiliate partnerships and advertising. There are no hidden fees, so you won’t see unexpected charges before you download your will.
DoYourOwnWill.com: Customer Support
Perhaps the single biggest drawback of DoYourOwnWill.com is the fact that you won’t have convenient access to customer support when you have a question. That unfortunately means that you won’t be able to call a customer service line, nor are there representatives available over chat. There is a customer support email you can contact, though you probably won’t receive your answer in as timely a manner as you would over the phone or via chat.
To help you through these times, DoYourOwnWill has informational resources available. However, the company states the following on its website: “Because we are not a law firm, we cannot provide legal advice and any questions regarding legal advice or estate planning must be directed to a qualified attorney.”
DoYourOwnWill.com: Online Experience
DoYourOwnWill.com is incredibly simple and straightforward to use. To get started, just go to DoYourOwnWill.com on your computer or mobile device and begin following the instructions. There are informational resources along the side of the screen, and you can also read through frequently asked questions and the company’s blog.
DoYourOwnWill.com’s homepage gives you two options: “Start Your Will” or “Browse Documents.” The former starts you on the 15-minute process of creating your will by asking a series of questions. The latter shows you a number of other options, such as guardianships, living wills and power of attorney, which you can create just as easily. At the end of the process, you can download a PDF of your documents. It’s as easy as that.
How Does DoYourOwnWill.com Stack Up?
DoYourOwnWill.com stacks up pretty well, especially considering it’s free to use. Despite this, it still provides significant value when compared to its much more expensive competitors.
Note that there are two areas in which DoYourOwnWill is lacking a bit. First, you won’t have any access to customer support if you have questions about your situation. Second, DoYourOwnWill is for simple wills and estate planning documents. If you have a complicated or large estate, or if you need help with a wider range of services, you may find the platform to be inadequate.
Comparing DoYourOwnWill.com to Other Services
| Service | Pricing | Features | Accessibility |
| DoYourOwnWill.com | – Free | – Wills and living wills – Guardianship – Simple trusts – Bequests – Memorial preferences – Power of attorney (durable and general) – Digital assets | – Web-based program |
| Trust & Will | – Guardianship: $399 ($499 for couples) – Will: $39 ($69 for couples) – Trust: $89 ($159 for couples) | – Guardian membership – Will membership – Trust membership | – Web-based program |
| Rocket Lawyer | – $39.99/month membership – With no membership, services available for a separate cost – Free seven-day trial for will making | – Sessions with a lawyer – Custom legal forms – Online Q&A with lawyers – Document defense – Form an LLC, corporation or non-profit – Registered agent service | – Web-based program |
Bottom Line
DoYourOwnWill.com is a great option for most when it comes to writing a will and creating some other estate planning documents. The platform is easy to navigate and understand, and you’ll be left with a clear PDF of your documents after as little as 15 minutes of answering questions and entering information. While DoYourOwnWill won’t give you access to certain types of estate planning services or the customer support its competitors will, it’s still a viable option for most of people looking to get their estate plan off the ground.
Tips for Estate Planning
- Estate planning can be confusing, so it pays to have a helping hand. That’s where a financial advisor can come in handy. Finding the right financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with financial advisors in your area in only five minutes. Get started now.
- You may want to create a living will or another form of advanced directive to ensure that your doctors and loved ones comply with your choices at a time when you are unable to make decisions for yourself. This is an often forgotten, but important part of estate planning.
Photo credit: ©iStock.com/gradyreese, DoYourOwnWill.com