How to Make a Will Online: A Step-by-Step Guide (2026)

How do you make a will?

To make a will, you inventory your assets, name an executor to carry out your wishes, name a guardian for any minor children, choose who inherits what, put it in writing, and sign it in front of two witnesses. Online wills are legally valid in every US state when executed correctly — the document is straightforward; the execution formalities are what make it hold up.

Key takeaways

• A will is valid because of how it is signed, not what tool wrote it — two witnesses is the near-universal rule.
• Naming an executor and a guardian for minor children are the two things a will does that nothing else can.
• A self-proving affidavit (notarized) is optional but speeds probate — add it wherever your state allows.
• Without a valid will, state intestacy law decides who inherits and a judge picks your children's guardian.

The 7 steps

1. Inventory your assets and debts. List real estate, bank and investment accounts, vehicles, valuables, business interests, and life-insurance/retirement accounts. Note that accounts with a named beneficiary (401(k), IRA, life insurance) and jointly owned property pass outside the will — the will controls everything else.
2. Choose your executor. This is the person who files the will, pays debts, and distributes assets. Pick someone organized and trustworthy, and name a backup. Naming your own executor keeps a court from appointing a stranger.
3. Name a guardian for minor children. A will is the standard legal instrument for nominating who raises your kids if both parents die, and courts follow the nomination in almost all cases. Name a backup guardian too.
4. Decide who inherits. Name your beneficiaries and, if you want, specific bequests ("my grandmother's ring to my niece"). Consider what happens if a beneficiary dies before you (a "per stirpes" clause passes their share to their children).
5. Consider a trust for minors. Under intestacy and a bare will, minors inherit outright at 18. A simple testamentary trust can stage an inheritance to a later age — one of the most common reasons to write a will rather than rely on the default rules.
6. Put it in writing and sign it — with two witnesses. Print the will and sign it in the physical presence of two competent, disinterested adult witnesses (people who do not inherit under the will), who then sign in your presence. This step is where most invalid wills fail. See will witness requirements by state.
7. Make it self-proving and store it safely. Where allowed, add a self-proving affidavit signed before a notary so the court need not track down your witnesses later (Uniform Probate Code § 2-504). Store the original where your executor can find it and tell them where it is.

How long does it take, and what does it cost?

A straightforward will takes most people 20–60 minutes to complete. Online wills typically cost a fraction of an attorney-drafted will — see how much a will costs for the full breakdown. The expensive mistake is not the drafting fee; it is dying without a valid will and forcing your family through intestate probate.

Will vs. living trust

A will goes through probate; a living trust can avoid it for the assets you place inside it. For most people a will is the right starting point — it is simpler, cheaper, and it is the only document that names a guardian for your children. You can always add a trust later. Pactlio Wills builds a state-specific will with the execution instructions for your state included — start your will here.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Signing without two witnesses, or using witnesses who are also beneficiaries (they may forfeit their inheritance under "interested witness" rules).
• Forgetting to name a backup executor and backup guardian.
• Assuming the will controls your 401(k) or life insurance — beneficiary designations override the will for those accounts.
• Handwriting changes onto a signed will later — that can invalidate it. Use a codicil or a new will instead.
• Never updating the will after marriage, divorce, a new child, or a move to a new state.

Sources

• Uniform Probate Code, Article II, Part 5 (execution of wills) and § 2-504 (self-proved will): https://www.law.cornell.edu/uniform/probate
• Cornell Law School, Legal Information Institute — Wills: https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/will
• American Bar Association — Estate Planning FAQ: https://www.americanbar.org/groups/real_property_trust_estate/resources/estate_planning/

This article is general information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction. Pactlio generates professional drafts for review — have a licensed attorney review anything important.