Questions people ask before they plan

Yes. Writing your will, choosing your causes and printing your documents costs nothing, and you don't need an account. Charities can never pay us to be recommended.

We're being organized as a nonprofit and are funded by donors who share our mission. If MyLastWill's own funds ever charge an administrative fee, we'll publish it on this site first.

Most people finish in 15 to 20 minutes. You can stop at any time: your answers are saved on your device, so you can pick up where you left off.

No. Your plan is saved in this browser on this device. To keep a permanent copy, print it or download it.

Yes. You can change your will at any time while you're living and of sound mind, but only by signing a new will or a codicil the same way you signed the original. Editing your plan on this site doesn't change a signed will. Review your plan every three to five years and after major life events such as a marriage, divorce, birth or move to another state.

A will is valid when it is signed the way your state requires, not because of where it was written. In most states that means signing in front of two adult witnesses who aren't beneficiaries. Your documents include a signing checklist. Because laws vary, we recommend an attorney review, especially for large or complex estates.

Not always. Many people with simple situations sign a basic will without one. Talk with an estate attorney if you have a large estate, own a business, have a blended family, want to leave out a close relative, have a family member with special needs, or want to create a private foundation or trust.

In most states, no. But most states let you add a self-proving affidavit, signed in front of a notary, which makes probate easier because the court won't need to track down your witnesses.

No. Choose "Add causes to the will I have" and we'll prepare a codicil, a short amendment you sign the same way as a will, plus gift wording you can share with your attorney.

No. MyLastWill is not a law firm. Our tools prepare documents from your own answers and explain common options in plain English. For advice about your situation, talk with a licensed attorney in your state.

No. The builder runs in your browser and your answers are saved only on your device. We never see them unless you choose to send us a note about your gift.

It's optional, but it helps. Telling us about your plans lets us thank you, confirm the right legal names and details, and plan our research. A will can always be changed, so telling us is never a binding promise.

We'll never pressure anyone to make or change a gift. We only call people who ask us to, and you can opt out at any time. We encourage you to talk your plans over with your family and an attorney.

A Cause Fund is a gift dedicated to one cause, such as cancer research or animal welfare, rather than to one charity. Until MyLastWill's own funds open, your will directs your executor to give it to charities working on that cause, and asks them to use independent research to pick the most effective ones when your gift arrives. Your cause is locked in; the specific charities can change, so the gift isn't stuck with one that has closed.

A backstop bequest names your causes as the last beneficiaries in line. The people you name inherit exactly as you planned. Only if none of them survive you does your estate go to your causes. Without one, state law would give it to your other relatives, such as parents, brothers and sisters or cousins, or to the state if there are none. With one, those relatives won't inherit unless you name them.

Our documents include a substitute-charity clause: your executor gives that gift to a similar charity whose work most closely matches the one you named. Without a clause like this, a gift to a charity that has closed can fail or end up in court.

Gifts to qualified charities in your will are deductible for federal estate tax purposes, with no upper limit. In 2026, federal estate tax applies only to estates over $15 million per person, so most families won't owe it either way. Charitable gifts can still reduce state estate or inheritance taxes where they apply. A gift in your will doesn't give you an income tax deduction while you're alive.

Often a traditional IRA or 401(k). Your heirs would pay income tax on what they withdraw from an inherited retirement account; a charity pays none. Many people leave retirement accounts to charity and other assets to family.

Yes. You can name a charity as a beneficiary of an IRA, 401(k), life insurance policy or bank account using a form from the account provider. These designations pass outside your will.