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Trust & Will is a guided online platform to help you create and maintain your estate plan. The tools Trust & Will includes were created by attorneys and are 100% customizable for each person. You can create a will or trust yourself or get one-on-one support from one of their attorneys if you have questions along the way.
What impresses me about the product is how simple they make the process, even for someone who has never created an estate plan. It’s not easy to think about the end of your life and how your loved ones will handle your assets, but Will & Trust makes the process less overwhelming with a step-by-step process and unlimited chat options to answer all your questions.
How does Trust & Will estate planning work?
Trust & Will provides three estate planning services:
- Set up a trust
- Write a will
- Probate support
What is the probate process?
The probate process is when the court selects a personal representative on behalf of someone who has died. The representative is responsible for settling the deceased person’s estate.
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If you’re wondering about the difference between a trust vs. will, check out their Trust or Will Quiz to determine your next steps. After answering a few simple questions about your life and financial situation, it will present you with the best options: will, trust, or both.
Regardless of which services you choose, Trust & Will makes it pretty easy to get started. If you’ve ever used tax software to prepare and file your taxes, you’ll find this program similar. I like to call it hand-holding, as it asks very simple questions that you answer, and the program plugs the information in where necessary to create your legal forms.
If you need probate support services, you must set up a consultation with a Trust & Will representative to get more information. The consultation is free and takes only a few seconds to set up. The most important part of the process is ensuring your location so Trust & Will can connect you with a licensed attorney in your state.
How much does it cost?
| Trust | Will | |
| Cost (one-time) |
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| Membership (optional) | First year free, then $39/year | First year free, then $19/year |
| Customer support | Included | Included |
| Attorney support (optional) | $300/year | $300/year |
| Included documents |
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|
| Benefits |
|
|
Both the will and trust plan include customer service seven days a week and free membership for the first year. After the first year, you must pay to continue your membership.
Do you need to pay for a membership?
Having a membership lets you update your end-of-life plan. Even if you don’t intend to change it, life changes fast. Having unlimited updates could be helpful if you move or need to update information or decisions regarding your dependents or family members.
Note that you can add attorney support to either Trust & Will plan at a rate of $300 per year. This add-on lets you speak with a licensed estate-planning attorney to receive expert legal advice about any questions you might have regarding your plan.
Is Trust & Will legit?
Who you use to create your will and trust is a big decision as it affects how your assets are handled when you die. Only trusting legitimate companies or people to help you ensures the documents are legal and binding upon your death.
When determining if a company is legit, I always turn to the Better Business Bureau, who gave Trust & Will an A+ rating. The company also has a 4.6 out of 5 star rating on TrustPilot with most customers stating it made a complicated process much easier.
Alternatives to Trust & Will
Trust & Will isn’t the only online estate planning option. Some popular competitors to Trust & Will include LegalZoom and Quicken WillMaker & Trust by Nolo.
| Trust & Will | LegalZoom | Quicken WillMaker & Trust by Nolo | |
| Starting price for a will | $199 | $149 | $99 |
| Available plans |
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| Pros | It’s easy to create an online will or trust directly on the Trust & Will website. | It offers many customizable options. For example, you can pay for only a financial power of attorney document if that’s all you need. | Has three different plan options you can choose from depending on what you need. |
| Cons | Not as many customizable options as some other estate planning services | Automatically includes attorney support (an extra cost) in its estate plan bundles | The program requires installation. You cannot complete the forms online, so you need a device that meets the system requirements. |
Some companies have lower starting prices than Trust & Will, but their low-cost options also include fewer features compared to Trust & Will.
For example, $99 at Quicken WillMaker & Trust gets you a last will and testament. But for $199 you can choose either Trust & Will or LegalZoom to get a last will and testament, HIPAA authorization, a living will, and power of attorney.
While I always compare the prices of different programs, I encourage you to look closely at what each program offers and compare it to your needs. There’s no reason to pay for something you don’t need, but you also shouldn’t overpay for a product you can get elsewhere.
For example, LegalZoom and Quicken WillMaker & Trust offer more customizable options, whereas Trust & Will offers a single option for a will or trust. If customization is important to you, one of the alternatives may be better.
FAQ
Is a will stronger than a trust?
A will is usually a simpler document than a trust, and might not hold up in court, depending on your situation. A will usually forces your estate into probate, which can delay the distribution of your assets.
Trusts are often more complicated than wills, but you have more control over asset distribution to beneficiaries, and you may be able to completely skip the probate process.
Are online wills a good idea?
If you have a complicated situation, an online will may not be sufficient. If you have room in your budget, consider seeking the advice of a reputable attorney to ensure the choice you make covers all the bases and protects your assets and loved ones.
Why does Trust & Will charge an annual fee?
You aren’t required to pay the Trust & Will annual fee. The first year is included in the plan price, but if you need to make updates, the annual fee is well worth it. Since most situations change whether you anticipate them or not, it’s important to be able to make immediate changes to your documents and ensure their legitimacy.
Bottom line
Trust & Will is an easy and user-friendly way to go through the estate planning process online. Compared to the estate planning attorney fees you could face at a lawyer’s office, Trust & Will is an affordable option.
I don’t think online estate planning services are foolproof substitutes for experienced estate planning professionals, but options like Trust & Will tend to work best for straightforward financial situations, and especially for people with budgetary constraints.
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