This Willful review covers how it works, the costs, pros and cons, and alternative online will kits in Canada.
Online wills in Canada are becoming increasingly popular, providing a simple, easy and legal way to create a will.
If you’re looking for the best online wills in Canada, Willful is one of the most popular services. It allows you to create a legal will for under $100 and complete the whole process in under half an hour.
What Is Willful?
Willful is an online service launched in 2017 that Canadians can use to make legal wills for as little as $99, which is much less than paying a legal professional.
You can use the step-by-step guide to create a will in under 20 minutes. The step-by-step process makes it easy to use even if you have no experience creating wills and no legal knowledge.
If you do not have a complex legal situation and you don’t want to spend a lot of money creating a will, online wills in Canada are a more convenient and affordable option.
With Willful, you simply answer the questionnaire to progress through the process until you get your completed will at the end.
Willful Online Will Offerings
Willful Canada provides a wide range of options to cover most situations. Its main features include:
- Everything is done online, so there is no need to visit a lawyer or contact anyone.
- It’s simple to use, quick and intuitive while making it easy to avoid errors.
- It makes it easy to clarify your final wishes.
- It’s pet-friendly, so you can assign guardianship to someone or leave money to help someone care for a pet.
- It has a charitable giving feature if you want to donate funds to a charity after you pass away.
- You can make changes when you want, free of charge.
Willful has three different plans to choose from depending on what you need:
The Essentials Plan is the most basic option. This plan is ideal for single people and provides a simple way to determine what happens to you and your estate.
It includes your Last Will and Testament, and you can allocate property, name beneficiaries and clarify your final wishes by describing how you want your estate to be distributed. You can also name a personal representative and guardians for your children.
The Premium Plan offers a bit more in addition to the Essentials plan. Importantly, it includes a Power of Attorney to create emergency plans for your property and finances.
The Family Plan is the same as the Premium Plan but for couples. It includes all of the same features but provides a quicker and more affordable option to create wills for two people.
How to Create an Online Will with Willful
Creating an online will in Canada using Willful is straightforward. The whole process is designed to be easy, so anyone can use it.
Simply create an account and fill in your details by providing all the basic information, including your name, address, etc.
It helps you choose a plan by asking specific questions, like whether you are married. You then confirm your plan and get started.
The process involves answering a series of questions, depending on your chosen plan. It will ask about your assets, end-of-life care, and more, and you can identify your beneficiaries and executor.
Simply answer all the questions and then make your payment at the end. After this, you will receive your documents.
You cannot legally sign it online. Once you have finished your will, you need to print it out and sign it in ink in the presence of two witnesses. These cannot be people who are not related and are not beneficiaries of the will.
Your will is now ready, so store it somewhere safe. If you change it in the future, print it out, sign it again, store it away and destroy the old version.
Pros and Cons of Willful
There are several advantages and disadvantages of Willful that you should be aware of before using the service.
Pros of Willful
- Willful is affordable, and you can create a will for as little as $99.
- Free unlimited updates are available in all plans, so you can change your will as your life situation changes.
- The straightforward process makes creating your will easy without professional help.
- It is a more convenient way to create a will because you can do everything from your home.
- You can create a will without a lawyer in as little as 20 minutes using Willful.
- Several plans are available so you can choose the most suitable option.
- Save your will using the Canada Will Registry
Cons of Willful
- Only available in some provinces currently, including Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick, B.C., Nova Scotia and Quebec.
- Not suitable for more complex situations, which may require assistance from a lawyer.
Are Willful Wills Legal?
Wills created using Willful are legal in the provinces where the service operates. However, remember that you must print out a physical copy of your will and sign it in the presence of two witnesses to make it legally binding.
You must do this again every time you change your will.
Cost of an Online Will Using Willful
| Legal Essentials | Premium Coverage | Premium Coverage for Families | |
| Price | $99 | $189 | $329 |
| Number of Wills | 1 | 1 | 2-6 |
| Power of Attorney | No | Yes | Yes |
| Create Additional Documents to Store with Your Will | No | Yes | Yes |
| Unlimited Changes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Willful Alternatives in Canada
There are several alternative online will services that you may want to consider using. Here is how they compare:
Willful vs LegalWills
LegalWills has been operating for many years and is available everywhere, apart from Quebec.
Its basic plan is cheaper than Willful, costing just $49.95. Its Premium Estate Plan is $179.65, and the cheapest couple’s plan is $79.90. Overall, it is a cheaper option.
Its My Life Locker feature also allows you to list your digital assets, contacts and belongings for an extra fee.
Get a 20% discount at LegalWills.
Willful vs Epilogue Wills
Epilogue online will service costs $139 for a simple will, and a will along with incapacity documents costs $179, slightly cheaper than the Premium Coverage offered by Willful.
Like Willful, it provides free updates for life. It is simple to use, and it also provides excellent support. It is available in English-speaking provinces.
Get a 20% discount at Epilogue.
Willful vs Canada Wills
The key feature that makes Canada Wills stand out is that it is free to create your will online. There is no need to pay anything; it just asks for support to keep it going, so you can leave a gift if you want.
Again, it is straightforward to use and includes all the most important features. Customer support, however, is not as good as paid services. Canada Wills is available in all provinces apart from Quebec.
Will Templates vs Lawyer
As well as reading online will reviews to help you decide which is best for you, there are other options to consider.
While using an online will service like Willful has many benefits, you may want to hire a lawyer instead. However, this is more expensive and less convenient because you can’t do it alone. Making changes may also be more complicated and expensive.
However, you may prefer the peace of mind that comes with using a legal professional. If your situation is more complex, it may be more suitable. But in general, for most situations, an online will is fine.
Another option is to use a will kit, which you can buy from a store. These are affordable but may be more restrictive in what you can include. You also don’t get any guidance as you do with an online service, and you may be more concerned about making mistakes.
Conclusion
This Willful review is positive. If you want to create a will, and your situation is not very complicated, Willful could be a great option.
It is affordable and comprehensive, and the free updates feature is excellent. In addition, Willful makes it easy to get started without legal knowledge.
Start today, and you could have your completed, legally binding will ready within half an hour while saving a lot of money compared to hiring a lawyer.
FAQs
Are online wills legally valid?
Yes, online wills are legal in Canada. But to make it legally valid, you must print it out and sign it in the presence of two witnesses.
Is Willful free?
No, Willful is not a free service. Depending on your needs, you can choose from three different plans costing between $99 and $329.
Can I make a will myself without a solicitor?
Yes, when you use an online will service like Willful, you do not need any assistance from a solicitor or lawyer.
Who keeps the original copy of a will?
When you have completed your will, you should print it out, sign it, and keep it yourself. Your online will is stored on Willful, but it is not valid until you have printed it out and signed it.
Related: Discover the best online will platforms in Canada.
