Here are some online resources that may help with your estate planning research:
AARP.org: What Is a Will?
Can't tell the difference between an executor and a beneficiary? This in-depth backgrounder in AARP.org's Legal Solutions section will have you ready to intelligently discuss your will-making needs in no time.
AARP.org: Worksheet for Your Will
Whether you're hiring a lawyer or using a book or computer program to make your will, this checklist will help you gather your thoughts—as well as the specific information you'll need—to prepare an accurate will that clearly reflects your intentions.
AARP.org: Legal Services Network
This benefit from AARP provides access to attorneys who offer reduced fees to members and their spouses. Find a lawyer who specializes in wills and estate planning by scrolling down to your state and selecting the locale closest to you.
Findlaw.com
From searching cases and codes to finding an attorney, this site has no shortage of legal research material. There is a section on "Estate Planning" which includes articles, FAQs and relevant forms. Check out the Getting Started article from the American Bar Association, which includes good nuts and bolts information for anyone looking to set up an estate plan.
Note: FindLaw.com's information and research tools are free; however, you are asked to supply your zip code before you get started with your research so that the site's search engine can tailor its search results to laws that apply to the area in which you live. It also is designed to help you find attorneys in your area.
Internet Law Library
This resource, formerly the U.S. House of Representatives Internet Law Library, was designed originally "to provide free public access to the basic documents of U.S. law." Today, users can still find plenty of free research related to U.S. federal and state laws, but also can access links to related sites such as FindLegalForms.com which provides—for a small fee—legal forms related to estate planning (such as the "power of attorney" form). Users can also access other features, such as a "Legal Term Dictionary" a "Legal FAQ Section" and a "Find Attorneys" tool.
Legal Information Institute
This site is operated by Cornell Law School, and features an overview of estate planning, a section on wills and trusts, information about probate and estate taxes, federal and state legal material—including recent, significant court decisions—and links to other resources on the Internet which have useful estate planning information.
The National Association of Financial & Estate Planning
This privately held, for-profit organization based in Salt Lake City, Utah, has a membership base that includes attorneys, CPAs and financial planners nationwide. NAFEP's web site features a lengthy section about Estate Planning with information and advice about general estate planning concerns, such as "Problems Due to Incapacitation" and "Death Taxes on Your Estate." The site also has a "Consumer Request for Contact" tool to help users connect with NAFEP's member professionals.
Nolo.com
The tagline sums up this popular web site's mission: "Law for All." One of Nolo.com's featured "Law Centers" is titled Wills & Estate Planning and provides information on everything from "Estate Planning Basics" to "Funeral Planning and Organ Donations." Other features include encyclopedia articles, links to current legal news stories, and a law dictionary. In addition, users can purchase will and estate planning self-help kits, software and books through Nolo.com's "Law Store."
Lawyer Locator from the American Bar Association
The ABA's site lets you search a national database of attorneys by location and area of practice; choose either Wills and Probate or Estates and Trusts from the drop-down menu to refine your results.
American College of Trust and Estate Counsel
This national professional organization, whose members are nominated and elected by their peers, offers a database of more than 2,400 lawyers experienced in will and trust preparation. Click on a state name for all available listings, or scroll down to do a targeted search.
Wills.com
This site offers a quick and inexpensive way to draft a relatively simple will with an optional children's trust provision. Though the site doesn't have an extensive reference library, each part of the will is clearly explained on the help page. The interface is easy to follow; navigation is a combination of drop-down menus and text-entry boxes. There is no cost involved until you have worked through the steps completely and determined that this type of will works for your circumstances. At that point, you can pay by credit card, and instantly receive an Adobe Acrobat (PDF) file to save and print. Cost: $29.95.
LegalZoom.com
This comprehensive self-help site uses fill-in boxes and drop-down menus to guide you through the will-making process. For reference, it offers a glossary and a guide to major will-making topics. After you pay by credit card, your answers are reviewed for consistency (though not by a lawyer), and within 48 hours you'll receive a hard copy of the document (you also can choose to receive a PDF or a Microsoft Word file). The site offers free notification of changes in law that might affect your will after it's created. Cost: $59. An additional $30 entitles you to an unlimited number of revisions for five years.
Buildawill.com
This comprehensive site offers a FAQs section as well as a guide to estate planning. The interface is easy to follow—just fill in the forms and click on next. There is no cost involved until you have worked through the steps completely and determined that this type of will works for your circumstances. At that point, you can pay by credit card, and immediately receive a file to print and save. Cost: $19.95. An additional $9.95 entitles you to an unlimited number of revisions.
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