LegalZoom Online Will Review 2023

• We recommend LegalZoom as an affordable option if you want to create estate planning documents with the help of an attorney.
• LegalZoom has will- and trust-based estate planning bundles that include attorney assistance for $249–$399.
• You can customize your estate plan to include just the documents you need, but the platform can be difficult to navigate.

While it can seem intimidating, estate planning is important to help loved ones navigate your wishes after you die. You don’t need to spend several hours or thousands of dollars to create accurate estate planning documents that will stand the test of time. For a relatively low price, there are several online will-making services that generate customized documents.

We chose LegalZoom as our pick for “Best Legal Assistance” in our Reviews Team’s roundup of the best online will-making services, based on the brand’s affordable memberships that include access to an attorney. Most other will-making services either don’t offer attorney assistance, or platforms charge upward of $200 for one-time consultations. LegalZoom has a two-week legal assistance membership for an additional $10–$20 (based on which documents you purchase).

While our Reviews Team recommends LegalZoom for those who need affordable legal assistance, after thoroughly mystery shopping the platform and using it to generate a simple will, financial power of attorney, living will, and trust, we don’t recommend the platform if you just want to create a simple will on your own.

Read our complete LegalZoom review to see all the pros and cons of using this online estate planning service.

Our Reviews Team includes credentialed attorneys who spent more than 200 hours researching and using the online will-making services we reviewed, so we can help you decide which is best for you. Out of eight total services we researched, we chose LegalZoom as our “Best for Legal Assistance.” We came to this conclusion based on:

• Our personal experience as a user creating a will on the platform
• Our practical knowledge of estate law
• Conversations with the attorneys who consulted on the will-writing software
• Analysis of customer reviews on trusted third-party platforms

*Feature is an additional fee
**Create a will for free during the seven-day trial period.

LegalZoom estate planning documents

With estate planning, there are two main documents people use: a last will and a living trust. Both have advantages and disadvantages, depending on factors such as:

• Your estate planning budget
• The size of your estate
• Whether you’ll need to access the assets in your estate before you die
• The complexity of your distribution wishes (how many beneficiaries you have and the types of items you’re dividing)

LegalZoom offers packages and individual services for both documents. You can change your estate planning package within 60 days of your purchase if you decide a different plan would better suit your needs.

A last will and testament, or simply a will, is a legal document outlining your wishes for the distribution of your property and assets after you die. With a will, you typically assign an executor, who is responsible for carrying out the wishes and instructions outlined in the will.

*Create two of each document, but there’s a limit of one Legal Assist Plan per estate plan.

How it works

First, you’ll need to decide which documents you want to purchase and whether a bundled package (last will plus other estate planning documents and legal assist plan) is best for your needs. If you choose to start the basic last will or comprehensive last will process, you’ll be sent directly to the step-by-step questionnaire.

If you choose the last will estate plan bundle, there are a few extra steps before the questionnaire:

1. Choose which state you live in.
2. Select the one-person package or the two-person package (which costs an additional $100).
3. Check out.

After choosing a product (and checking out if you select a bundle package), you’ll need to create a LegalZoom account. Next, you’ll answer questions about yourself (name, address, and marriage information) and your finances (account totals, retirement account information, and asset values).

For most questions, it’s up to you how much detail you want to include. For example, you can give your executor full control over the distribution of your property, or you can itemize your assets and designate specific items for individual beneficiaries. In some circumstances, you may also choose to list exact checking or saving account numbers in your will. For example, if you don’t have beneficiaries listed on your checking account, it would be easier for your executor to locate and distribute the money in that account if account numbers were provided in the will. Documents created and stored on the LegalZoom platform are secured with high-level encryption ⓘEncrypting information turns it into a digital code that adds an extra layer of protection., so your personal information and financial details can’t be accessed without your permission.

Throughout the guided questionnaire, there are expandable blue icons you can click to get more information about the question or to define a term. In some instances, there will even be a link to a sample document or informational page you can use as a reference when answering the question.

It took our Reviews Team about 30 minutes to complete the questionnaire from start to finish. We had a few documents on hand before starting, which we found helpful when filling in financial information. If you want to purchase the product but aren’t ready to complete the questionnaire, you can always go right to checkout and finish the questions later. Just click the button that says “Buy now finish questions later.”

When completing the LegalZoom will questionnaire, you have the option to purchase the product and complete the questions later. Just click the button on the right-hand side of the page.

A living trust is a legal arrangement that allows you to transfer ownership of your assets to a trust for various financial purposes, including estate planning. You’ll assign a trustee ⓘThe trustee is the person responsible for managing the assets in the trust. to be responsible for the trust on behalf of the beneficiaries ⓘA beneficiary is someone entitled to receive money, property, or other assets from a trust or will.. The assets will be distributed after death or at any other time you choose.

*Creates one trust with two of each document, but there’s a limit of one Legal Assist Plan per estate plan.

How it works

Like the LegalZoom will-maker service, if you select the basic or comprehensive living trust packages, you’ll move right into creating an account and answering the questionnaire. If you choose the living trust estate plan bundle package, you’ll need to take three additional steps:

1. Choose which state you live in.
2. Select the one-person package or the two-person package (which costs an additional $50).
3. Check out.

If you choose the two-person package, you’ll get two of every document except the living trust. A LegalZoom living trust can hold property from more than one person, so regardless of the product or bundled package you choose, you only need one trust ⓘA trust can be used for estate planning or to set aside money for other purposes, like founding a charity..

After choosing a product (and checking out if you selected a bundled package), you’ll start the questionnaire. The trust questionnaire also uses expandable blue icons to clarify terms and give information. If you need live assistance at any time, the LegalZoom customer support phone number is on the right, and a chat feature is at the bottom of the page.

The blue icons that appear throughout the questionnaire provide helpful information.

The questionnaire for a trust is almost the same as the one for a will, but you’ll need to include some additional details. For example, you’ll need the title or deed information for any real estate or cars you want to put in the trust, whereas on a will it would be acceptable to just say, “My car at the time of my death should be given to Sally Smith.”

After completing the questionnaire, you can name your trust if it’s for a specific purpose, or you can stick with the default, which is: “The [your name] Living Trust.” The last step is to check out (if you haven’t already) and submit your form to LegalZoom. From there, a LegalZoom attorney will review the trust document.

Within one or two business days, you’ll be able to print and notarize ⓘNotarizing a document makes it legally binding. You can often find a notary at your local bank or post office.
your living trust document. You can also have LegalZoom professionally print and mail you the documents for an additional $29.95 with standard shipping or $49.95 for overnight shipping.

The LegalZoom trust service only generates the trust document, which is the contract that creates the trust. If you plan to transfer the assets named in the trust to an account (also called a trust fund account), you’ll need to set that up separately with your bank. If you intend to put real estate or other property (like cars, money, or jewelry) in the account, you’ll also need to transfer the title or deeds according to your state’s laws.

You can use LegalZoom to transfer your title or deed and file the appropriate documents on your behalf for an additional cost. The price varies based on what state the property is in and how many properties you need to transfer. For example, LegalZoom charges $279 to transfer the deed of a property in Virginia.

Select if you would like standard shipping or overnight shipping at checkout.

LegalZoom legal assist plan

Comprehensive: Available for two weeks, then cancel or pay $25 monthly

Estate plan bundle: Available for one year, then cancel or pay $199 annually

LegalZoom offers attorney assistance for a broad range of legal matters and has different legal assistance packages depending on the type of product you’re purchasing. For example, if you purchase an estate planning package, you can only ask the attorney about issues related to estate planning. For this reason, our Reviews Team suggests you purchase the legal assist plan through the estate plan bundle.

With this membership, there are recurring fees on a monthly or yearly basis if you don’t cancel. You’ll need to cancel the membership before the next billing period to avoid unintended charges. For example, when you upgrade to the comprehensive tier for any document, you get a two-week legal assist membership. If you don’t cancel after two weeks, you’ll be charged for the next month of membership. If you choose an estate plan bundle, you’ll get a year of legal assistance, and you’ll be charged for the next year automatically during the renewal period.

The membership offers unlimited 30-minute consultations on new legal matters. A new legal matter is completely unique from, and not at all related to, a legal matter you previously inquired about. For example, you may be limited to a single 30-minute discussion about your will document. If you need to speak with a lawyer for longer than 30 minutes or ask another question about the same topic, it may not be considered a “new legal matter.” In that case, the attorney you’re connected with will give you their fee structure (which varies by attorney) and bill you for any additional time. You’re always connected with an attorney in your state, so that fee will vary based on your location and the firm’s billable hourly cost. If you’re a LegalZoom member, you’ll get 25% off the firm’s standard hourly rate for representation.

If you choose a two-person bundle package, you’ll only have one legal assist plan membership that both people must share.

Before sitting down to create your estate planning documents, you should gather a few pieces of information:

• Primary bank account information (checking and savings)
• Retirement and other investment account information
• Life insurance policy numbers
• Proof of ownership of assets (car title or deed to your home)
• Full name(s) and contact information of the executor(s) of your estate
• Full names and contact information for all individuals you plan to name in your will

Our Reviews Team found it difficult to understand what each of the packages includes, and the pricing for each is unclear. For example, the legal assist plan is referred to by different names throughout the pricing charts. Sometimes it’s also called attorney assist or attorney advice.

In several instances, important decision-making information is hidden and marked with an asterisk, so that you have to scroll to the bottom of the site to read the information. To help clarify the purchase process and to answer questions that aren’t available on the website, we have outlined each package option below.

LegalZoom tiers

All the documents that LegalZoom offers, except the living trust, can be purchased separately, added on, or included in an estate planning bundle. The living trust is the only document that can’t be added to another purchase. If you choose a “basic” document, you can add on a will, living will, or financial power of attorney for an additional price at checkout.

Each document has three tiers: basic, comprehensive, and the estate plan bundle. The main differences between each are price, access to legal assistance, and length of the free unlimited revision period. The estate plan bundle can either be will-based or living trust-based.

*Includes a pour-over will (a will that covers the distribution of any property not held within the trust)

Our Reviews Team chose LegalZoom as our pick for “Best Legal Assistance” because of the comprehensive tier. Attorneys charge anywhere from $250–$310 per hour for estate planning services.¹ For $10 (or $20 for the living trust) you can complete your document with an attorney in the LegalZoom network.

*Includes a pour-over will

**Cancel before two-week trial ends or pay $25 per month to retain membership

*Can be paid in three equal installments for no additional cost

**Includes a pour-over will

***Cancel before one-year trial ends or pay $199 annually to retain membership

Financial power of attorney

A financial power of attorney (POA) is a legally binding document (not an individual) that allows you to appoint someone to manage your financial affairs for you and make decisions on your behalf. Unlike a will that only goes into effect after you die, a POA can go into effect immediately, or after a specified event (for example, if you experience a sudden medical event, like a coma).

You can add a POA to your will or living trust purchase for an extra $35, or you can purchase it separately for $35. If you upgrade to the comprehensive POA package (which is $10 more) you’ll be able to complete the questionnaire with an attorney or have them review it after you complete it using the two-week legal assist plan membership. After consulting with the attorney, just cancel the plan to avoid the $25 monthly fee. If you purchase either of the estate planning bundles (living trust or last will) this document is included in the package. You won’t see the option to add a POA to your will or living trust until the checkout page.

A living will allows you to express your health wishes and medical preferences to provide guidance if you become incapacitated, which means you’re unable to care for or make decisions for yourself. A health care POA is a document that allows you to elect an agent to represent your health interests and make decisions on your behalf.

On the product page, LegalZoom lists the health care power of attorney product as separate from the living will, because they are technically two distinct documents that work together. But you can’t purchase the health care POA on its own, even though the price is listed at $39. Instead, it’s included in the living will service that starts at $39. If you’re interested in having a health care POA along with your living will, select the box while moving through the living will questionnaire (see image below).

You can add a living will to your will or living trust for an extra $39, or you can purchase it separately for $39. If you upgrade to the comprehensive living will package (which is $10 more), you’ll be able to complete the questionnaire with an attorney or have them review the final document over the phone using the two-week legal assist plan membership. After consulting with the attorney, just cancel the plan to avoid the $25 monthly fee. If you purchase either of the estate planning bundles (living trust or last will) this document is included in the package. You won’t see the option to add a living will to your last will or living trust until the checkout page.

Select which documents you want to include in your living will using the checkboxes.

LegalZoom has a free unlimited update period that varies depending on which product package you purchased. You can make unlimited updates to any document purchased under the basic or comprehensive plan for 30 days after purchasing. The unlimited update period for any document in the last will or living trust estate plan bundle is one year after purchase.

When you create your estate planning documents on LegalZoom, the answers and selections you made on the questionnaire are saved on a form that is stored in your account. You’ll just make updates as needed, save them, reprint the updated documents, and execute ⓘExecuting a document is to make it legally binding. This is usually done by signing and notarizing the document. them again according to the laws in your state.

If the free revision period has expired and you want to make changes or updates to your estate document, you’ll need to pay an additional cost each time you modify the form. Since your information will always be saved in your account, you won’t need to start from scratch. Just make the necessary updates, pay the associated fee, and resubmit the form to LegalZoom. From there, your updated document will be generated and ready for printing and signing.

Our Reviews Team asked Rania Combs, Esq., an experienced estate planning attorney who has been licensed to practice law in Texas since 1994 and North Carolina since 2020, how frequently estate planning documents should be updated. “While there are no hard and fast rules about how often someone should update their estate planning documents, I recommend consulting with a lawyer every three to five years, or sooner if they experience a significant change in their life,” she said.

According to Combs, you should update your will if one of the following life changes has occurred:

• Marriage or divorce
• Birth or adoption of a child (or grandchild)
• Change in the value of their estate
• Incapacity or death of beneficiaries or fiduciaries
• A move to another state

LegalZoom charges $19.95–$39.95 each time you need to make changes to any document, which could end up costing a significant amount of money. For example, if you purchased the last will estate planning bundle and need to make a change to every document after the free update period has expired, you’ll need to pay $69.85 total. This is compared to U.S. LegalWills, for example, which offers a 10-year unlimited update membership for only $39.95.

To get this information, a Reviews Team member called LegalZoom. For now, this information is only available if you call or if you try to make changes to a document and are prompted to pay the resubmission fee. The representative told us LegalZoom is working on a way to make this information available on the website.

LegalZoom has a U.S.-based customer support center that is available by chat, phone, online form submission, and email.

• Phone: 888-379-0854, Monday through Friday from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. PT and on Saturdays and Sundays from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. PT
• Email: support@legalzoom.com
• Online form: Use the “ask a question” link on the right to submit a query

When we called, we were connected with a customer service representative within 30 seconds. They were friendly and asked several clarifying questions to ensure we were connected with the right department for our inquiry. They also took us through a verification process (getting our name and email address). This is so any question or concern is recorded on your account in case follow-up is needed. Even if you haven’t created an account yet, you can provide your email address and the support specialist will send you a written version of their answer to your question, so you can refer to it in the future.

Our Reviews Team appreciated this customer service practice because we didn’t have to write down all of the information as the representative spoke. We knew we would receive the exact information via email.

Our Reviews Team appreciated this customer service practice because we didn’t have to write down all of the information as the representative spoke.

The chat feature usually takes about a minute to connect you with a representative. The chat representatives were not as helpful as the phone representatives in our Reviews Team’s experience. More than once we were abruptly disconnected from the chat representative, or they had a hard time understanding our questions. We were often asked to call instead.

LegalZoom satisfaction guarantee

If you’re unhappy with the LegalZoom service, you can call or email within 60 days of your purchase to get a refund. LegalZoom will not refund third-party or filing fees paid to the government. For example, if you’re dissatisfied with the limited 30-minute legal consultation included in the legal assist plan membership, you can get a refund, but if you continue a relationship with that attorney and pay additional fees to that attorney, LegalZoom can’t refund you the additional money.

LegalZoom also can’t guarantee a specific legal outcome when you use its products or services, but the company will provide a refund in situations where it provided a guarantee. For example, LegalZoom doesn’t guarantee you’ll win your court case if you consult with an attorney using the legal assist plan. But LegalZoom does guarantee that the documents it generates are accurate and consistent with your state’s laws. For more information on the LegalZoom satisfaction guarantee, you can read through the fine print.

Since the LegalZoom platform offers several different legal services, the customer reviews and overall ratings on third-party sites are not always specific to the estate planning service. Our Reviews Team sifted through reviews to learn more about the experiences other users have had with customer support and the online will or trust options.

On Better Business Bureau (BBB), LegalZoom is rated 4.63 out of 5 stars by more than 6,600 customers. Our Reviews Team noticed that every reviewer since Feb. 6, 2023, has left a one- or two-star review citing poor customer service and unexplained, unauthorized charges from LegalZoom. Many also complained about difficulty navigating the purchase process and how easy it was to accidentally sign up for products or services you didn’t intend to purchase. But reviews before the February timeframe are overwhelmingly positive, praising customer support representatives and the easy-to-understand purchase process. A Reviews Team member reached out to LegalZoom to better understand why reviewers after Feb. 6 have been so negative, as well as to find out whether LegalZoom has tried to reconcile with those customers. We will update this story as we receive a response.

On Trustpilot, LegalZoom is rated 4.7 out of 5 stars based on more than 2,700 reviews. Most positive reviewers mention how much money they saved by using LegalZoom over a traditional attorney’s office. Negative reviewers emphasized that estate planning with LegalZoom is great for users creating a will with a simple beneficiary list but isn’t the best for those with more complex wishes.

The documents LegalZoom generates are legally binding and adhere to state laws. We selected it as our pick for “Best Legal Assistance” because you can upgrade to a two-week legal assist plan for only $10 when creating a will, which is a flexible option at an affordable price compared to competitors.

From a usability standpoint, our Reviews Team found that the LegalZoom website is missing critical pricing information and important decision-making details. For those reasons, our Reviews Team doesn’t recommend the LegalZoom platform if you’ve struggled to navigate complex websites in the past.

Have questions about this review? Email us at reviewsteam@ncoa.org.

1. Hourly Rates for Trust and Estate Attorneys Across the Country. Martindale-Nolo Research. Dec. 18, 2021. Found on the internet at https://www.lawyers.com/legal-info/trusts-estates/cost-of-creating-an-estate-plan-and-administering-an-estate/how-much-does-an-estate-planning-attorney-cost.html