LegalZoom

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• Low starting costs
• Straightforward and user-friendly

• Wide range of offerings
• Available in all 50 states

These days it’s easier than ever to make a will without a lawyer. But many people feel overwhelmed by the task or think that they don’t need one. The truth is that everyone, no matter how big or small their estate, needs a will. It’s the best way to make sure your assets are passed down to the people you choose, rather than having everything get tied up in probate and divided out by the state. Probate is essentially when the courts take over to manage your estate after you die. This process can be lengthy (and costly), and it also allows your financial situation to become public record. Your estate may end up in probate for many reasons. For example, if you die without creating a will, if you die with a will that has complex challenges like unresolved debts, or if you have no beneficiaries named in your will. 

In our search for the most helpful online will makers, we found that LegalZoom is one of the best. It was our Best Overall pick in our guide to the best online willmakers.

In this LegalZoom review, we highlight the features and tools we loved, and explain the different forms and services LegalZoom offers. We’ll also talk about what you need to create a legal will, trust, or estate plan.

A common misconception is believing you don’t have enough assets to warrant an estate plan. In the absence of a last will, the state will determine what happens to your property and assets, robbing you from having a say in the decision making."

—Tammi Caress, JD, LLM, Principal Owner and Attorney at Caress Law in Portland, Oregon

Why we like LegalZoom

We like LegalZoom because it has the second-lowest starting costs of any online will maker we recommend (after Rocket Lawyer, which is free for the first seven days). LegalZoom’s starting cost is $51 less than the next-most expensive online will maker, Nolo (which starts at $101). We appreciate that LegalZoom provides its pricing upfront instead of hiding it until after you’ve drafted your will, like some other companies do.

We were also impressed by the amount of resources and tools you receive for that price. Not only do you receive legally valid, state-specific documents you can personalize for your needs, but you can store those documents in LegalZoom’s free, secure online document storage. Not all companies offer this—only three out of our five picks for best online will maker provide digital document storage. LegalZoom will even go one step further and print out your will on acid-free archival paper and mail it to you, so you have a physical copy (included with plan and starts at $10 for extra documents). Acid-free, archival paper is more durable and built to last longer.

You can also opt for premium plans (starting at $20 more), which give you unlimited 30-minute attorney consultations for one month (renews at $25/month). You can speak with the attorney on a wide range of legal topics—not just estate planning. That’s helpful if you have other questions or need legal advice in other areas. You also get unlimited revisions to your documents.

Plus, LegalZoom is very user-friendly. We like the website and the quick turnaround time (it took our testers 40 minutes to create their will on LegalZoom). When we surveyed 300 people about why they chose an online will maker, 86% said they wanted a process that was more affordable and convenient than meeting with a lawyer in person.¹ 

LegalZoom Pros and Cons

Compare LegalZoom vs. competitors

LegalZoom estate planning documents

LegalZoom offers estate planning services for both wills and living trusts. Choosing the right type of document for your needs depends on your budget, the size of your estate, and how complicated your distribution plan is (like if you have multiple properties or inheritors). 

LegalZoom offers both bundle packages and individual services, and you can change which plan you’re using within 60 days of signing up.

LegalZoom’s last will and testament services

A last will and testament is a document that directs how you would like your assets or estate to be distributed after your death.² If you have minor children, a will can name their guardian. Wills help to make the inheritance of your assets go smoothly. Without one, the state can tie your assets up in probate and decide who gets what without your input. It’s important to remember that a will can’t go against state law. Laws will vary by state, but most will require your will to declare that it is, in fact, a will and be signed by a testator and witnessed by two people. Wills can also be declared invalid if they’re missing required information, like a plan for distributing assets. 

LegalZoom offers customizable will templates, step-by-step guidance, and information about how to properly notarize your will. (Heads up: You’ll need two witnesses.) When we tested LegalZoom’s will-making process, we found it to be user-friendly and straightforward. “Once I paid I just created an account and started the form-filling process,” one tester said. “The process was very straightforward and had a ‘start to finish’ feel.”

LegalZoom living trusts

A living trust is a document that gives someone else the power to make decisions about your money or property.³ It involves naming several people:

• The trustor, grantor, or settlor is the person who makes the trust.
• The trustee is the person put in charge of the property or assets.
• The beneficiaries are the people who will inherit your property or assets.

Setting up a living trust lets you still use and access the assets named in the trust, such as a house or investment money. This type of document is helpful if you end up in a situation where you can no longer make decisions yourself.³

LegalZoom offers two different types of living trusts: a revocable or irrevocable trust. 

• A revocable trust gives you more control over the assets and allows you to change the terms of the trust.
• An irrevocable trust means you lose ownership over the trust and its assets and can’t change the terms. 

Whichever you choose, you can add a pour-over will to it, which directs any remaining assets not covered in the trust to be transferred into the trust once the person dies. This can help your inheritors avoid dealing with probate over unlabeled property or money.

How LegalZoom works

LegalZoom is relatively straightforward to use. Once you’ve created an account, you’ll be asked to choose which package you want, either a will or a trust. 

Then, you’ll be guided through a questionnaire that fills out the forms as you go. “It was a very intuitive form and asked several questions. After each question it saves and then you could move on to the next section,” one tester said.

As you answer some basic questions on things like property, assets, location, and beneficiaries, LegalZoom tailors your documents to suit your situation. LegalZoom also edits your documents to ensure you’re compliant with whatever specific rules apply to the state you live in. Once you’re done, you’ll be prompted to print, download, or share your documents as needed. 

“LegalZoom was a quick and easy process that seemed pretty thorough with its online form and questionnaire when planning my estate,” one tester said. “I like how it took a methodical step-by-step approach. Within roughly 40 minutes, I was done with the form.”

You can also choose to pay $20 for an attorney to review documents with you over the phone. This is a good option if you’re feeling confused or unsure about your will or trust. This access also allows you to contact the attorney with general legal questions for advice. In our survey, 59% of respondents who used attorney support found it to be helpful. Only 5% said they used attorney support but didn’t find it helpful.¹

What you need to create an estate plan through LegalZoom

LegalZoom doesn’t require you to have any specific documents to start creating your will or trust. Testers saw that as both a pro and a con. “It didn’t ask me to have any documents before starting and didn’t have any explanations,” one tester said. “But it was very intuitive. I just wish they had a little more instruction before starting the process or maybe some short videos to help explain different sections.” 

Although LegalZoom doesn’t require you to have any documents on hand, in general it’s a good idea to have the following in case you want to reference the 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

Compare LegalZoom estate planning services

Creating individual documents with LegalZoom

Sometimes you might want to add additional documents to your will or trust. These might include forms like a financial power of attorney, advance directive, or pet directive. LegalZoom has the option to add on individual documents depending on the type of package.

If you have any questions about which documents you need, you can find a lot of good information on LegalZoom’s website or use NCOA’s estate planning checklist.

LegalZoom’s financial power of attorney

A financial power of attorney is a document that assigns control of financial decisions to a specific person who can then make decisions on your behalf. This is helpful in case you find yourself in a medical crisis or other situation that means you are no longer able to make your own decisions.⁴

LegalZoom lets you add a financial power of attorney document to your will or trust. You’ll be prompted to choose to add one while completing your forms. You can also choose to purchase just the power of attorney documents ($39–$49) if you don’t want to make a will or trust. Not all online will makers let you create individual documents without signing up for a package (Trust & Will, for example, doesn’t).

LegalZoom’s medical power of attorney and advance directive

A medical power of attorney is a document that gives a specific person the ability to make medical decisions on your behalf in case you aren’t able to make those decisions yourself.⁵ 

A medical power of attorney is a type of advance directive. Advance directives are documents that help health care providers understand exactly what kind of treatments you would and would not want if you can’t speak for yourself.

Advance directives like medical power of attorney are important because they help to make sure your medical wishes are followed. Without an advanced directive, your family might become responsible for choosing your medical care without your input or guidance.

LegalZoom lets you create advance directives like an advance health care directive (which includes a living will and medical power of attorney) either in combination with a will or trust or purchased separately. Living wills help health care providers to make decisions when you can’t. Like the other forms, you’ll be prompted to fill out each section by a guided questionnaire.

See below for more information on purchasing individual documents like an advance health care directive or a financial power of attorney (which is similar to a medical power of attorney except you nominate a person to make your financial rather than medical decisions).

Compare LegalZoom’s individual documents

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

Can you update your LegalZoom will?

Yes, LegalZoom lets you update your will or trust for up to 30 days with basic packages and up to one year with premium packages. Once the revision period has expired, you can pay a one-time fee of $49 to go back in and revise your documents an unlimited amount of times for one year.

“Remember to revisit your estate plan every few years to make sure nothing has changed,” said Regan Lochena, Esq., the SVP and Director of Advanced Planning & Trust Legal Counsel for United Wealth Management in Bethesda, Maryland. “I recommend reviewing your plan at a minimum of every five years, but more frequently if there are significant legal changes or life events (death, marriage, divorce, births). Your estate plan will evolve with you and must be maintained in order to be effective.”

Cost to revise each type of document after free revision period expires

LegalZoom customer service

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

• LegalZoom phone number: 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
• LegalZoom email: support@legalzoom.com
• Online form: Use the “ask a question” link on the right to submit a query

LegalZoom satisfaction guarantee

LegalZoom has the longest satisfaction guarantee period of any online will maker we tested. You have 60 days to receive a full refund if you end up not feeling happy or satisfied with the documents you created (that’s double the industry standard of 30 days). 

We think this is a great customer benefit. You can learn more about LegalZoom’s satisfaction guarantee on their website.

LegalZoom reviews

Our testers thought LegalZoom was user-friendly and good for people who may not have a legal or technical background. “I think the website was very intuitive and people of all ages should be able to use this service and walk through step by step to fill out their information,” one tester said. “The process was very straightforward and easy to understand.”

“One thing I really appreciate about LegalZoom is their option to connect users with an attorney at a relatively affordable rate,” said Andrew Rowe, an estate planning attorney in Wichita, Kansas. “While working directly with a locally licensed estate planning attorney is always recommended for those who can, [platforms like LegalZoom] provide a cost-effective alternative for people who may not have access to traditional legal services. For users with limited budgets, this form of legal support can be a valuable and practical resource.”

LegalZoom has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. It holds a 4.6 out of 5 stars on TrustPilot with more than 21,000 reviews. We consider LegalZoom’s reputation to be a positive one.

But we do wish attorney access was included in the packages rather than available for an additional fee. And some testers wanted more explanation before starting the will-making process. 

Once testers did start the process, some said the examples LegalZoom provided could’ve been more realistic. “It would be helpful to see more specific examples or scenarios so it can prompt you to think of wishes you may want to include,” one tester said. “For example, there was a section asking for any wishes for specific items and the example was ‘No one can drive my Mustang.’ It’d be better to see a more realistic example, like, ‘My car will need to be sold and the proceeds divided by the estate.’”

These drawbacks aside, we think LegalZoom is a great option for people new to will-making who want something user-friendly and affordable.

Frequently asked questions

Is LegalZoom legit?

Yes, LegalZoom is legit. It is accredited by the Better Business Bureau and has more than 21,000 reviews on TrustPilot.

What’s the difference between a will vs. a living trust?

A will is a document that directs how to distribute your estate after you’ve died. A living trust is a document that gives a third party the ability to make decisions about your estate. You still have access to your assets while you’re alive.

Will a LegalZoom will hold up in court?

Yes, a LegalZoom will or trust will hold up in court. They are legal documents compliant in all 50 states.

How long does it take to make a will on LegalZoom?

It took our testers an average of 40 minutes to create a will on LegalZoom.

How much does LegalZoom cost?

LegalZoom costs $99 for a basic will, $249 for a premium will, $399 for a basic trust, and $549 for a premium trust. Additional forms or attorney access prices vary.

Questions? Email us at reviewsteam@ncoa.org