WillMaker FAQs

Is WillMaker an online app or downloadable software?

Both! When you buy WilMaker Plus or All-Access, you can choose to make your estate planning documents online or with the software. You can use both, but the two platforms don't share data, so the documents you make using one platform will not be available on the other.

WillMaker Starter users can get the downloadable software by upgrading to Plus or All-Access.

Why are there two ways to use WillMaker?

Until recently, WillMaker was available only as downloadable software. Nolonow offers the same dependable, easy-to-use forms in an online app. WillMaker Plus and All-Access customers have access to both platforms.

So, it's your choice which to use. Try one or the other -- or test out both. Just keep in mind that you can't transfer documents or data from one platform to the other.

What is the difference between the two versions of WillMaker?

While the documents, interviews, instructions, and support information are nearly identical in the online and download versions of WillMaker, there are some important differences.

With the online version of WillMaker, you:

  • Get six key estate planning documents
  • Access WillMaker through the internet
  • Use WillMaker on your tablet or mobile device
  • Make new documents and changes for one year from the purchase date

With the download version of WillMaker, you:

  • Get seven key estate planning documents, plus many others
  • Download WillMaker to your computer (Windows or Mac).
  • You need internet access only for the initial download and for subsequent updates.
  • Receive updates through the end of the version year (that is for WillMaker 2023, through 2023)

Compare the online and download versions of WillMaker.

Can I use WillMaker if I live in Louisiana?

No. Unlike the other states' laws, Louisiana law is derived from the Napoleonic code. This makes Louisiana's estate planning laws substantially different from the laws of the rest of the country, and WillMaker doesn't address Louisiana's unique requirements. You can create a basic Louisiana will with our simple online form.

How does WillMmaker work?

WillMaker makes it easy for you and your immediate family to create wills, health care directives, powers of attorney, and other legal documents for planning your estate and handling personal and financial matters.

You don't need legal training or estate planning experience to create documents with WillMaker. The onscreen interviews provide easy-to-understand guidance every step of the way.

Each document you can create with Quicken WillMaker has its own interview. You click through the questions and answer them at your own pace. When you finish an interview, the program combines your answers with the appropriate legal language and displays the completed document for you to review.

You can produce any document in WillMaker in one sitting, but if possible, take your time. Read the "Helpful Information" section of the screen and consider it thoughtfully. You can always take a break and come back later; it's easy to pick up exactly where you left off.

When you're satisfied with your document, print and sign it, following the signing instructions that WillMaker provides for every document. These instructions tell you how to finalize your document and make it legal; for instance, signing your will in front of two witnesses or having a power of attorney notarized.

Can I use WillMaker if I live outside of the United States?

If your permanent residence is outside the United States, you should not use WillMaker.

If you are out of the country temporarily –- for school or a job, or because you serve in the military, you probably still have ties with a particular state that make it your legal residence. In that case, you can still use WillMaker. For example, if you were born in Wisconsin, lived there for many years, are registered to vote there, and receive mail there in care of your parents, who still live in Milwaukee, then Wisconsin is your legal residence for purposes of making a will even if you are spending three months on sabbatical in Europe.

If you're not sure where you legally reside, consult a lawyer.

Can I use WillMaker to make more than one set of documents?

Yes, you may use WillMaker for their entire family. And you can use it to make more than one of any document. You can make a will for yourself, your wife, your brother, your parents, and so on.

How do I finalize my WillMaker documents?

How you finalize your document depends on 1) which document you're making, 2) your state of residence, and in some cases, 3) what you choose to include in the document. Generally:

  • Wills are signed and witnessed.
  • Living trusts are notarized.
  • Durable powers of attorney are notarized.
  • Health care directives are witnessed, notarized, or both.
  • Final arrangements and letters are signed.
  • Transfer on death deeds are notarized.

You must also sign and date each document. All WillMaker documents come with signing instructions specific to your state.

Why won't the notary attach a notary certificate?

When you finalize your Willmaker living trust or power of attorney, you will sign your document in front of a notary, and the notary will attach a certificate of acknowledgment to your document. Most notaries have these certificates on hand and will attach the certificate without issue.

However, every once in a while, a notary will refuse to attach a certificate. This might be because the notary is not familiar with the process of attaching their certificate, or the notary might believe that the notary language must be included in the document itself or within the document's pagination.

If this happens to you, you have a couple of options. You can try to convince the notary that they can, in fact, attach a notary certificate to your document,* or you can try again with another notary.

*To explain to the notary that they can attach a certificate, try to find the statute that lays out notary requirements for your state. Many states' statutes include a phrase like "a certificate must be part of, or securely attached to, the record." So you could try googling your state's name and that phrase to see if you can find your state's law. If that doesn't work, you can look up your state's notary laws at https://www.nationalnotary.org/knowledge-center/news/state-notary-laws. Many states publish a "handbook" for notaries that may also have the information you need. But even if you find the statute, some notaries may not budge. In that case, it's best to move on to another notary.

Can I use WillMaker to provide for a loved one with special needs?

Do not use the WillMaker will to leave money or property directly to a person with special needs. The management provided under WillMaker documents does not sufficiently provide for special needs, and it does not protect eligibility for government benefits.

However, you can use your WillMaker will to leave money or property to a special needs trust. If you name the special needs trust as a beneficiary of your will, the money will go into the trust rather than directly to the person with special needs. Naming a special needs trust as a beneficiary will help your loved one remain eligible for government benefits and provide property management tailored to your loved one's needs.

To learn more about special needs trusts:

Can I print a blank WillMaker document to fill in by hand?

No, you can't print a blank version of any WillMaker document. The main reason for this is that the text of the documents-- what's included and what's not included -- depends on your answers to the interviews. So documents can only be 'built' after you've answered all of the interview questions.

How does WillMaker work?

WillMaker takes you through a step-by-step interview process and then uses your answers to create customized documents that you can download and print. Learn more about How WillMaker Works.

What if I have questions using the download version of WillMaker?

If you have downloaded the WillMaker software to your computer, look for answers to questions about that version of WillMaker on the WillMaker Download Support page.

How do I get more help?

If you have a question that this support page does not answer, contact Nolo's customer support team at 800-728-3555 or [email protected].

Keep in mind that Nolo's Customer Support representatives can answer questions about using WillMaker, but they can't answer legal questions.