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Last Will and Testament Template

LegalLegal Deadlines and Reference
Legal system

Name, then the percentage of the residuary estate.

Draft will —
Beneficiaries
—
Shares allocated
—
Witnesses needed
—
Words
—

A last will template sets out who inherits, who handles the estate and who signs as witness. Enter your name, an executor and each beneficiary with a share, such as Mark Smith 50% and Anna Smith 50%, and the template writes the clauses, checks the shares total 100% and adds a block for two witnesses.

About this tool

Many people put off a will because they do not know what one looks like. This template turns a few details into a short, readable draft: a declaration revoking earlier wills, an executor and an optional alternate, a clause for debts and funeral costs, a residuary gift split by percentage, an optional guardian for minor children and a signing block. It totals the shares so nothing is left undistributed and sizes the witness section to the two witnesses required in England and Wales and most US states. The draft is a starting point for a conversation with a solicitor or attorney, not a substitute for one. It does not handle specific gifts of property, trusts, foreign assets, inheritance tax planning or rules that differ, such as Scottish law or holographic wills.

How to use it

  1. Enter your details

    Type your full legal name and where you live, then pick England and Wales, United States or Elsewhere.

  2. Name the executors

    Add the person who will administer the estate and, if you like, an alternate in case they cannot act.

  3. List beneficiaries

    Put one person or charity per line followed by a percentage, for example Anna Smith, 50%.

  4. Review the draft

    Read the generated will, the share table and any warning about shares that do not add up to 100%.

Examples

Estate split between two children

Your full legal name
Jane Smith
Where you live
Leeds
Legal system
England and Wales
Executor
Mark Smith
Beneficiaries and shares
Mark Smith, 50% Anna Smith, 50%

Result Draft will: LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF JANE SMITH

1. Declaration. I, Jane Smith, of Leeds, being of sound mind, declare this to be my last will. I revoke all earlier wills and codicils.

2. Executor. I appoint Mark Smith as executor of this will.

3. Debts and expenses. My executor shall pay my just debts, funeral expenses and the costs of administering my estate.

4. Residuary estate. I give the rest of my estate to the following people in these shares:
(1) Mark Smith: 50%
(2) Anna Smith: 50%
If any of them dies before me, their share passes to the surviving beneficiaries in proportion to their shares.

5. Signature. Signed by me as my last will, in the presence of the witnesses below, who were both present at the same time.

Signature of testator: ____________________ Date: ____________

Witness 1 signature: ____________________
Name and address: ________________________________

Witness 2 signature: ____________________
Name and address: ________________________________
Beneficiaries: 2
Shares allocated: 100%
Witnesses needed: 2
Words: 147

  1. Read 2 beneficiary line(s); shares total 100%.
  2. Clauses: declaration, executor, debts, residuary estate, signature.
  3. Witness block sized for 2 witnesses under section 9 of the Wills Act 1837.

Two equal shares make 100%, and the signing block has room for the two witnesses English law asks for.

Spouse, charity and a guardian

Your full legal name
Carlos Diaz
Where you live
Austin, Texas
Legal system
United States
Executor
Maria Diaz
Alternate executor
Luis Diaz
Guardian for minor children
Ana Ruiz
Beneficiaries and shares
Maria Diaz 60 Save the Children 40

Result Draft will: LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF CARLOS DIAZ

1. Declaration. I, Carlos Diaz, of Austin, Texas, being of sound mind, declare this to be my last will. I revoke all earlier wills and codicils.

2. Executor. I appoint Maria Diaz as executor of this will. If Maria Diaz is unable or unwilling to act, I appoint Luis Diaz as executor.

3. Debts and expenses. My executor shall pay my just debts, funeral expenses and the costs of administering my estate.

4. Residuary estate. I give the rest of my estate to the following people in these shares:
(1) Maria Diaz: 60%
(2) Save the Children: 40%
If any of them dies before me, their share passes to the surviving beneficiaries in proportion to their shares.

5. Guardian. If I die while any of my children is a minor, I appoint Ana Ruiz as guardian of that child.

6. Signature. Signed by me as my last will, in the presence of the witnesses below, who were both present at the same time.

Signature of testator: ____________________ Date: ____________

Witness 1 signature: ____________________
Name and address: ________________________________

Witness 2 signature: ____________________
Name and address: ________________________________
Beneficiaries: 2
Shares allocated: 100%
Witnesses needed: 2
Words: 186

  1. Read 2 beneficiary line(s); shares total 100%.
  2. Clauses: declaration, executor with alternate, debts, residuary estate, guardian, signature.
  3. Witness block sized for 2 witnesses under the law of my state of residence.

A 60/40 split between a spouse and a charity, with a backup executor and a named guardian for minor children.

How it is calculated

Share total = sum of each beneficiary's percentage; the draft is complete when the total equals 100%

share
Percentage of the residuary estate given to one beneficiary
witnesses
Number of witnesses in the signing block, two under Wills Act 1837 s.9 and UPC s.2-502

Each beneficiary line is read as a name followed by a number. The numbers are added; anything other than 100% triggers a warning because an undistributed remainder may pass under intestacy rules. The clauses follow the usual order of a simple will: revocation, appointment of executors, payment of debts, residuary gift with a survivorship clause, guardianship and attestation. The witness block has two slots because both English law and the Uniform Probate Code require two witnesses who see the testator sign.

Sources

When not to use it

  • Your estate includes a business, trusts or property in several countries.
  • You live in Scotland, Louisiana or another place with distinct succession rules.
  • You expect someone to contest the will or want to disinherit a spouse or child.
  • Inheritance or estate tax planning matters for the size of your estate.

Common mistakes

  • Asking a beneficiary or their spouse to witness, which can void their gift in England and Wales.
  • Leaving shares that total less than 100%, so part of the estate falls under intestacy.
  • Signing without both witnesses present at the same moment.
  • Forgetting that marriage usually revokes an earlier will in England and Wales.

Frequently asked questions

Is a will made from a template legally valid?

It can be, if it is signed and witnessed correctly. In England and Wales the testator signs in front of two witnesses present together, who then sign. Most US states have a similar two-witness rule. Formal validity depends on the signing, not on who typed the text.

Who can act as a witness?

Any adult with capacity who is not a beneficiary, and not married to or the civil partner of a beneficiary. In England and Wales a gift to a witness or their spouse fails, although the rest of the will stands.

What is a residuary estate?

It is everything left after debts, funeral and administration costs and any specific gifts. This template gives the whole residue by percentage, which keeps the shares fair even when the estate's value changes between drafting and death.

Can my executor also inherit?

Yes. An executor is often a spouse or adult child who also inherits. The only conflict is with witnessing: an executor who is a beneficiary should not sign as a witness.

What happens if a beneficiary dies before me?

The draft includes a survivorship clause: that person's share is divided among the surviving beneficiaries in proportion to their own shares. If you want it to pass to their children instead, a solicitor can word a substitution clause.

Does the will need to be notarised?

Not in England and Wales. In the US a notary is usually not needed for validity, but many states accept a self-proving affidavit signed before a notary, which can make probate quicker.

Should a charity be listed by name only?

Use the charity's full registered name and, where it has one, its registered charity number, so the executor can identify the right organisation without dispute.

Cite this tool

Using this tool in an assignment, article or report? Copy a citation, or a link for your website.

APA

Tools Directory Editorial Team. (2026, October 20). Last Will and Testament Template. Tools Directory. Retrieved October 27, 2026, from https://tools.milunir.com/legal/legal-deadlines-and-reference/last-will-and-testament-template/

MLA

Tools Directory Editorial Team. “Last Will and Testament Template.” Tools Directory, 20 Oct. 2026, https://tools.milunir.com/legal/legal-deadlines-and-reference/last-will-and-testament-template/. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Tools Directory Editorial Team. “Last Will and Testament Template.” Tools Directory. Last modified October 20, 2026. Accessed October 27, 2026. https://tools.milunir.com/legal/legal-deadlines-and-reference/last-will-and-testament-template/.

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