It's easy to start using WillMaker & Trust. Typically, you'll need to:
Making Sure Your System Meets the Requirements |
Before you install WillMaker & Trust, check that your system meets these minimum requirements:
WillMaker does not support Windows 7 after version 2020. |
To start the program:
If you used an older version of Quicken WillMaker or Quicken Lawyer to create a file with a ".pfl" extension on your computer, you're asked if you'd like to open it after installation. Click Yes if you want your old documents to show up in My Documents when you get to it, or click No to work with a brand-new file.
Caution - WillMaker & Trust may not convert all of your documents. Be aware that some documents from earlier versions of the program can't be opened -- and some may require you to review and update your interviews. The program will convert as many of your documents as possible, but sometimes extensive legal updates require us to significantly change the format of a particular document.
Registering your copy of WillMaker & Trust gives you access to a variety of services and benefits, including technical support. We recommend that you register the first time you use the program.
To register your copy:
We regularly update WillMaker & Trust to accommodate changing laws or fix problems our users report. To make sure you're running the latest version, use Web Update, a feature that downloads and installs any revisions we've made to the program.
Run Web Update the first time you use the program and as often as possible thereafter -- either automatically at program startup (the default preference for the program) or manually at intervals you choose.
By default, WillMaker & Trust checks for newer versions every time you start up the program (as long as you have an open Internet connection). If it detects a newer version, you're prompted to download and install the newer files (which may take a few minutes). The program will then restart.
If you'd rather not have these checks done automatically, you can turn off this feature by changing the default preference. If you decide to change this preference -- we recommend that you don't -- be sure to run Web Update manually at regular intervals.
To change the "automatic update" preference:
To run Web Update manually choose Online > Web Update. Follow the directions that appear on screen.
WillMaker & Trust checks for newer versions every time you start up the program (as long as you have an open Internet connection). If it detects a newer version, you're prompted to download and install the new version (which may take a few minutes). The program will then restart.
Running Web Update Manually: Mac
To check for a new version of WillMaker & Trust manually, choose Help > Check for Updates…
Tip: if you have Internet connection problems. If you're having trouble connecting to the Internet from within WillMaker & Trust , open your Web browser as you normally would from outside the program, then return to the program and try again. If problems persist, see Handling Web Update Problems in Part 7.
Quitting and Restarting Quicken WillMaker & Trust
You can quit Quicken & Trust by doing any of the following:
Windows
- Choose File > Exit.
- Click the close box (marked with an "X") in the upper right-hand corner of the program.
- Press ALT+F4.
Mac
- Choose WillMaker > Quit WillMaker.
- Click the close button (marked with an "X") in the upper left-hand corner of the program.
- Press Command + Q.
Any changes you've made to your documents since the last time you saved your data are automatically saved when you quit. By default, the Automatically save changes feature is turned on. If you've turned Automatically save changes off (in Edit > Preferences) the programs prompt you to save your changes when you quit. For more information on saving your data, see Saving Your WillMaker File in Part 5.
You can restart the program just as you started it the first time. If you completed the program's introduction before you quit, you'll go directly to My Documents. My Documents is your main jumping-off point for creating your essential estate planning documents (or for working with documents you've already created).