Trust & Will Review - Fast and Affordable Estate Planning

Overall Ranking

4.5/5

Overview

Cost

4.5/5

Features

4/5

Ease of Use

4.5/5

Customer Support

4.5/5

Where there’s a will, there is a way. In this case, if you need a will, there’s an affordable way to get one. Trust & Will can help you take care of your estate planning in as little as 15 minutes.

Miranda Marquit

Editor's Note

You can trust the integrity of our balanced, independent financial advice. We may, however, receive compensation from the issuers of some products mentioned in this article. Opinions are the author's alone. This content has not been provided by, reviewed, approved or endorsed by any advertiser, unless otherwise noted below.

One of the most adult things you can do is figure out how to plan for what happens after your death and make sure that your assets are likely to be distributed according to your final wishes.

If you don’t have a plan in place, the state takes a more active role in determining what happens to your minor children, your assets, and other essential details. It can be a long process–and it might even destroy a large portion of your estate’s value.

One way to prepare some of your estate planning documents without turning to a lawyer is to use Trust & Will.

What Is Trust & Will?

Trust & Will is an online estate planning company that provides you with the resources to create customized legal documents related to your estate. The company says you can create a proper estate plan based on your state of residence in about 10 minutes.

Costs are relatively low–at least, it’s much less expensive than sitting down with an attorney. Once complete, you should have legally binding documents to help you pass on your assets, as well as handle guardianship issues for your minor children.

Trust & Will Products

You can access three primary estate planning documents with Trust & Will. Each plan comes with all the documents you need to create a plan. The trust and will options also include guardian information, so it’s rolled into the necessary documents.

Trust

A trust is a legal agreement that allows a third party (the trustee) to hold assets on behalf of a beneficiary. Trusts avoid probate so that beneficiaries will get access to your assets faster and may save money on federal estate tax as well. To fully realize these advantages, you might want to sit down with an estate planning attorney or a financial advisor.

During the trustor’s life, you can establish a living trust (or inter vivos trust). A testamentary trust goes into effect after the trustor dies (and is dictated by the terms of a will). A revocable living trust means the terms of the trust can be modified, and an irrevocable living trust means the terms cannot be changed.

There are numerous benefits to a living trust. First, the trustor can have more control over the asset. Additionally, the trustor can protect the asset from legal battles.

Living trusts are also helpful for many specific purposes, such as bequeathing assets to children once they pass a certain age, fulfilling a particular condition, etc.

You can create a trust-based estate plan with Trust & Will, including the following documents that allow you to reduce the chance of probate while maintaining your preferences:

Revocable Living Trust
Schedule of Assets
Pour-Over Will
HIPAA Authorization
Living Will

All of these documents set forth your desires if you become incapacitated and need someone to make decisions on your behalf.

Wills

Perhaps you’re not ready to set up a trust structure. You can also use Trust & Will to create your will, which includes:

Last Will and Testament
HIPAA Authorization
Living Will

These documents indicate your wishes and increase the chance of being carried out.

Guardian

Finally, if you don’t have the time to sit down and put together an estate plan, you can at least nominate a guardian for your minor children. This is an important step, and Trust & Will makes it quick and easy to file the guardianship legal document to ensure that your children have someplace to go in the event of your untimely death.

Trust & Will Pricing

How much you pay for Trust & Will services depends on what you choose. The more detailed your plan, the more you’ll pay. However, it’s important to note that Trust & Will offers unlimited access to your documents, and you can change the information as needed. If you’re not satisfied with the service, you can request a refund within 30 days of your initial purchase.

Here are the starting prices for the different products:

Trust: $599 (add a plan for your spouse for $100 more)
Will: $159 (add a plan for your spouse for $100 more)
Guardian: $39 (add a plan for your spouse for $30 more)

You get unlimited free access for a year to make changes. After that, if you want unlimited access, you need to pay a subscription fee. The annual fee is $19 for Will access, $39 per year for Trust access, and $12 a year for Guardian access.

Signing up for Trust & Will

Getting an account with Trust & Will is simple. Once you select “Get Started,” you can decide how you want to create your account. Trust and Will is set up to use Facebook or Google credentials, or you can enter your email and choose a password.

Once you’ve established your account, you can create and save your plan. You can also come back to work on the plan later or make adjustments if your circumstances change. Creating your plan allows you unlimited access for a year, and then you can choose to pay the small annual fee for ongoing access.

Trust & Will Security

Trust & Will uses best practices to secure the website so your information remains as safe as possible.

Trust & Will Customer Service

There are multiple ways to get in touch with Trust & Will if you have questions or need customer support. In addition to a helpful FAQ on the website, you can easily connect with representatives and get answers to your questions via online chat.

Additionally, there is an email you can use to reach the team. If you have concerns about cost, the FAQ on pricing includes a direct email to someone who can work with you on pricing.

Take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of Trust & Will before deciding.

Pros and Cons

Low cost — Using Trust & Will costs much less than getting an estate planning lawyer.
Speed — It’s possible to complete your paperwork in as little as 10 to 15 minutes, which is must faster than using an attorney.
Convenience — You can accomplish the paperwork right from the comfort of your home, and on your schedule.
Simplicity — You choose from three basic options, and the standard paperwork you need is provided. No need to worry about a large menu of confusing services with varying prices.
Ongoing updates — The option to add ongoing updates as needed is a definite plus, making it easy to update your documents as life changes occur.

No personal touch — While there are customer service options, you’re not going to get full-on counsel or legal advice like you would with an attorney. You’ll just be guided through the process of customizing templates for your needs.
No access to complicated situations — The paperwork involved relates to the simplest types of estate planning. If you have a complex situation or a high net worth, the offerings might be inadequate.
No business succession planning — If you own a business and need to include succession in your estate plan, you might need to look elsewhere.
No attorney-client privilege — While an effort to protect your information is made, the reality is that Trust & Will doesn’t establish an attorney-client relationship, and there is no privilege there.

What Are People Saying?

To make an informed decision, it helps to look at non-biased review sources. Potential customers will be happy to learn that Trust and Will reviews have been quite positive.

Trust & Will is a Better Business Bureau Accredited Business, and BBB has given Trust & Will an A+ rating. A+ is the highest rating given by the BBB and represents a score above 97 on their 100-point rating scale. This rating scale considers various factors, such as transparency, review history, advertising practices, and more.

Trustpilot is a review aggregator based on genuine customer reviews and represents honest customer opinions of Trust & Will’s platform. Trust & Will holds a rating of 4.9/5 on Trustpilot, based on over 1,700 reviews. Trust & Will’s, 4.9/5 is an excellent score and represents near-unanimous positive customer experiences.

Alternatives

Nolo’s Quicken Willmaker and Trust

If you’re looking for an alternative to Trust & Will for your estate planning needs, Nolo’s Quicken Willmaker and Trust is another popular choice. Nolo’s Willmaker and Trust is comprehensive estate planning software. The latest version is up-to-date with current legislation and provides an easy & intuitive platform for many estate planning activities. You can use the software to create an estate plan which includes a will, a living trust, financial power of attorney, health care directives, and other essential estate planning documents.

Nolo’s Quicken Willmaker and Trust has a tiered pricing system depending on the features you require. It’s not necessarily cheap, but it’s a lot cheaper than attorney fees.

Additional Alternatives: Best Online Will Maker

Who Is It For?

Trust & Will is ideal for someone who doesn’t have any estate planning documents and needs a quick and easy way to get started. The Will option is probably the best place to start for many users. It offers documents that can make your desires clear, as well as arrange for the care of your dependents.

The Trust option can also be a solid choice for someone looking for slightly more advanced estate planning and a desire to avoid probate.

However, it’s important to note that online legal services aren’t for everyone. For those who have complicated situations or who have the added issue of business succession planning, Trust & Will might not be the best choice.

In general, though, if you have a relatively simple situation and have 15 minutes available, Trust & Will can be a great way to get your estate planning documents and final arrangements in order at a very reasonable cost.