Our reviewers evaluate products and services based on unbiased research. Top Consumer Reviews may earn money when you click on a link. Learn more about our process.
Thursday, January 23rd
Founded in 1999, LegalZoom is a site where legal help is accessible to everyone. Currently supporting over 4 million customers, LegalZoom has a wide range of legal documents ready to fill out, including wills and estate planning. Whether you want a single document or a package to support your family's future, LegalZoom has a variety of options and price points to choose from. This is a great will service if you're seeking a straightforward, personalized will.
Purchase required before you fill out the forms
To start your will on LegalZoom, you need to select a package. Once you've decided among the four options available, you'll be asked a series of questions to help give you the right documents (and ensure they are legally binding in your state). However, before you can fill out the documents properly, you will have to pay, and there isn't a preview on LegalZoom like we've seen on a few other sites.
Individual and couples' wills
LegalZoom offers a few different options for its will documents. First, you can find two individual wills: the Basic and the Premium. In the Basic will, you can expect last will and testament documents, a healthcare directive, financial power of attorney, HIPAA authorization, 30 days of free revisions, and the printing and shipping of your documents. If you go with Premium, you'll get all of the features of Basic but also be able to access an attorney to review your documents, unlimited 30-minute attorney calls for 1 year, attorney advice for your family, and 1 year of free revisions. If you have a spouse or wish to create a document as a couple, LegalZoom offers the same two packages: Basic and Premium. The only difference here is that the Basic plan offers doubles of each of the documents (2 wills, 2 healthcare directives, 2 financial powers of attorney, 2 HIPAA authorizations). Otherwise, outside of pricing, the individual and couple plans are identical.
Pricing from $99 to $349
The pricing for the different will plans is a one-time payment, but it lasts you up to a year depending on the option you choose. Here's what you can expect from LegalZoom:
While these aren't the lowest prices out there, if you want a full package of documents in one go, the cost is fairly competitive. Plus, with legal assistance, you're still coming in far below standard legal fees. The only drawback is that these fees only cover one year before you need to pay again (but it isn't a subscription that auto-renews).
60-day return policy
LegalZoom offers a guarantee that allows you a refund within 60 days as long as your order (the will) hasn't been completed or is not yet available for download. If you have completed the document, you have 7 days to request a refund. This policy is helpful, given the higher-than-average price point for the will services at LegalZoom, and offers some protection since you can't see the documents before you buy.
Solid reputation and simple process
LegalZoom's stellar reputation speaks for itself, with thousands of positive reviews and an "A+” rating from the Better Business Bureau. Trustpilot users also rate LegalZoom highly, averaging 4.3 stars out of 5 with over 5,000 individual reviews. Customers appreciate LegalZoom's knowledgeable support, well-crafted documents, and simple navigation that makes filling out their wills or other legal forms a breeze. Many of the reviews note that customers return to LegalZoom repeatedly for ongoing legal projects due to their positive experiences.
Grab a one-stop-shop package
Despite higher-than-average prices, LegalZoom is a top contender due to its reputation and competitive refund policy. While you can't see the documents before you buy them, the feedback suggests this isn't a problem, as most customers are extremely pleased with the service at LegalZoom. With a one-stop-shop package approach to estate documents including your will, LegalZoom gives you everything in one go. For this reason, it earns a solid rating in our review.
Creating a will can be a stressful and costly experience. Reports show that less than half of Americans have a will in place. But it is possible to create a real, legally binding will without the hassle of finding a lawyer in person or paying exorbitant legal fees. Online will services are the way to go if you want to create your will in the comfort of your own home with no pressure or stress.
Online will services provide a faster, more affordable method that can get you a working will in minutes. So what are will services? Generally, online will services will help you build your will with step-by-step questions without overwhelming you with legal jargon. Some will services will also allow you to revise your will once you've created it. This can help give you peace of mind if you want to have a will early on in life.
To create your will, the company will ask you questions about your situation (marital status, children, assets, and more) to help generate the final document and provide state-specific forms that are legally binding where you reside. Will services make a sometimes stressful or lengthy process simple, and if you provide accurate information, it will be just as good as a similar document from an attorney.
The best part of will services is that you don't need to try to do all the work on your own. The right will service will help you along the way, offer experts to answer your questions, and make sure you have all the required sections such as bequests for your assets, determining a guardian for minor children, and naming an executor. You will still need to have your will signed and witnessed properly, but a good will service will help you finish that step too.
Check for services that have lifetime access, if you're planning to make updates in the future. You don't have to worry about a hassle to update your will if you have changes in your assets or living situation in the future.
If you're ready to get everything sorted and signed for your family's future, we understand. This is a big step, and you want to do it right. Here are some factors that might help you choose the best will service for your documents:
To help you take this important step and provide you with peace of mind, Top Consumer Reviews has researched and ranked the top will services out there today. This way, you can get everything sorted for the future of your family with no stress, to prepare and provide for your future generations.
Select any 2 Will Services to compare them head to head