How to Make a Will Without a Lawyer

Creating a will is one of the most responsible things a person can do, especially if you have people that rely on you to care for them. A will determines who takes ownership of your assets and property if you should die. The best way to create a will is to see a lawyer, but there are ways for you to create a legal will without the use of a lawyer.  

• Show that you are capable of legally creating a will. In most cases, this means that you must be at least 18 years old and have no mental health problems that will keep the document from becoming invalid. In order to meet these requirements, you must know how much your assets are worth and know who your family is and how they are related to you. If anything suggests that you are not mentally capable of writing your own will, you may have to see a doctor to be cleared.


• Write a statement that your intent is to make a document that will serve as your will. This statement does not have to be anything special, but you should be clear as to what your document is meant to be used for. One or two sentences is all that you will need to create the statement showing your "testamentary intent."


• List your properties and who will gain possession of them. You will want to be a specific as possible to avoid any confusion when the will is read. For example, you may want to write that your computer will go to your sister. This will make distributing your property easier and avoid any problems that may occur.