Trust & Will Review for 2024

People tend not to want to think about death. But the fact is, if something happened to you, your loved ones would have to deal with the aftermath - including your finances and property.

That’s why it’s so important to have a will in place. A will ensures that your wishes are carried out after you perish and that your loved ones are financially taken care of. This is where Trust & Will comes in.

Trust & Will Overview

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of this review, let’s start with a brief overview of the company. Trust & Will was founded in 2017 to make estate planning more straightforward and affordable.

The company is headquartered in San Diego, California, and has so far had more than 250,000 clients across the United States.

The company has a team of dedicated estate planning attorneys who provide top-notch legal services per your request. Trust & Will is an entirely online service, meaning you can create your will from the comfort of your home.

The process takes about 15 minutes, and you can make as many changes as you want before finalizing everything.

Getting Started With Trust & Will

Our review found that the service designed to simplify estate planning really does take only 15 minutes to complete. 

When you click on Get Started, you’ll be presented with a list of options. Select all that apply to you, and the site will recommend a service that best suits your needs. You can, of course, head directly to one of three sections of the website and request an associated document.

So, let’s delve deeper into each of the features to see how it all works.

Setting up a Trust-Based Estate Plan

People with complex estate planning needs may consider setting up a trust-based estate plan. Trusts are legal entities that can hold assets on your behalf and can be used for various purposes.

For example, you can use a trust to protect your assets from creditors or to minimize estate taxes.

It’s one of the most popular Trust & Will products.

Creating a trust-based estate plan is simple. It’s a seven-step process where you’ll have to answer some questions and provide certain information, like choosing your beneficiaries and executors. You’ll also need to decide how your assets will be distributed after you die.

Trust plans include several important documents:

Revocable living trust: With a revocable living trust, you can make changes to the trust at any time. 

Schedule of assets: Every asset you hold and wish to include in the trust, with the ability to update the list as time passes.

Last will and testament (pour-over will): Any final wishes you’d like Trust & Will estate planning to include, with the option to go into further detail.

HIPAA authorization: Select and authorize people to access your health information.

A living will: Set up healthcare and medical guidance in case you no longer can make decisions.

Certification of trust: A document with a summary of your trust without key personal information.

After you’ve created your trust, you’ll need to transfer your assets into the trust. This can be done by transferring the ownership of your real estate properties, bank accounts, and investment accounts.

Creating a Will

In addition to setting up a trust, you’ll also need to create a will. In a legal document known as a will, you can specify how you want your assets to be divided after you pass away. 

The will creation process is similar to trust plans - provide information about yourself and your family members, deciding how you’d like your assets distributed after your passing.

Trust & Will documents included with your will are HIPAA, living will, and a document that gives your attorney power to manage your affairs in your absence.

After you’ve created your will, you’ll need to sign it and have it witnessed by two people. Once your will is signed and witnessed, it’s legally binding. We recommend getting your will notarized, too, as it makes it easier to administer.

Nomination of a Guardian

People with minor children can nominate a guardian through a legally binding document. A guardian is someone who will take care of your children if you die before they turn 18.

Trust & Will’s guardian nomination tool is the simplest of the three, and the whole process takes just a few quick steps. First, you’ll need to provide basic information about the guardian, such as their name and relationship to you. You’ll also need to specify what type of guardianship you’re appointing them for.

There are two types of guardianship: full guardianship and limited guardianship. Full guardianship gives the guardian all legal and physical custody of the child. In contrast, limited guardianship only gives the guardian certain rights, such as the right to make educational decisions on the child’s behalf.

After you’ve nominated a guardian, you’ll need to sign and date your will. The guardian you’ve nominated will need to do the same.

Trust & Will Pricing

Each of the products is priced separately. The base pricing for each service is for one person, but you can include your spouse in the document for a small additional fee.

Here’s a quick pricing breakdown:

• Trust: $599 for a fully custom-built and state-specific document, with an extra $100 if you wish to add your spouse.
• Will: $159 for one person, or $259 for a couple; includes health care and final arrangement wishes.
• Nomination of a guardian: $39, plus an additional $30 if you wish to include your spouse in the document.

Additional Trust & Will Services and Costs

There are additional fees beyond purchasing the desired documents. It all works as a subscription service, with separate subscription fees depending on which of the three services you originally ordered.

Trust plan’s annual subscription costs $39 and includes unlimited updates of your original documentation. The subscription price drops to $19 per year for wills and, ultimately, to $12 yearly for the nomination plan.

Your first year is free and includes access to the administration tool where you can organize and download your documents. Additionally, the company will ship your first document for free.

By using the online service, you also gain access to help from an authorized attorney. This service is also free of charge during your first year and $200 per year afterward. The attorney support is available in selected US states, so check whether the service is available with Trust & Will.

Trust & Will Refund Policy

If you’re not happy with the service for any reason, you can request a full refund within the first 30 days. This, of course, cancels the subscription plan, too. Do keep in mind that the timeframe for the refund request is only seven days if you’ve already requested an attorney service. 

Trust & Will Customer Service

If you have any questions about setting up a trust-based estate plan through the Trust & Will forms, the customer service team can help you resolve them. Also, the company’s estate planning experts can help you choose the right type of trust for your needs.

As for the availability of customer support and contact methods, you can reach them via phone and email. The team is available on workdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekends. On the site, you’ll find a comprehensive FAQ section to resolve some of the most common issues that may arise.

The Bottom Line

There are many positive reviews online, and for a good reason - the company and its services are really top-notch. From the account creation process, through document creation, all the way to support, we have only praise for this company. 

It’s clear why so many people entrusted their estate planning to Trust & Will. While some services can run up a price, you can rest assured you’ll be getting high-quality and, most importantly, state-legal documents that are fully customized to your needs. 

A lawyer can cost you thousands of dollars. Paying just a fraction of that for equally good service? Absolutely!