Last Will and Testament
<p>If you search for will services there are many that seem to do nothing more than fill your name and other details into a predefined format. These services also often charge money for it.</p>

<p>Of course people with more complicated situations may need to seek legal advice but is there not a template available that anyone can use for free for more common situations? </p>

<h2>What is a "common" situation?</h2>

<p>Being single, married, divorced, in several sexual relationships at once are all common - they all have different implications for inheritance. Does your state treat same-sex relationships the same as heterosexual relationships for inheritance - how does that impact the will? What is your relationship status today? Is there no possibility that it will change before you die - which could be tomorrow or 60 years from now.</p>

<p>How many children do you have? Will you have more (or less) when you die? How have you dealt with that?</p>

<p>What if the executor of your estate dies before you do? Or doesn't want to do it when the time comes? Or values their time for doing it at $1,200 per hour payable from the estate?</p>

<p>What form of title is any land you own held in? Do you know how that affects your estate?</p>

<p><strong>No one has a "common" situation.</strong></p>

<p>Consult a lawyer.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>is there not a template available that anyone can use for free for
  more common situations?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>There is no official form for a will offered by any government agency, and while there are a number of firms that sell legal forms, I am not aware of any that offer free legal forms.</p>

<p>Wills filed in probate cases are a matter of public record, but they come with no statement regarding their appropriateness.</p>

<p>Most rookie lawyers interested in getting into the field use forms from a former employer or buy a form book published (not for free) by the state bar association.</p>

united-states california wills