Originally published: December 3, 2014 | Last updated: January 11, 2026
What Are the Four Options for Writing a Will as an Expat?
Expats with assets in their home country face unique challenges when creating a Will. A Will must comply with the laws of the jurisdiction where the assets are held, and it must be carefully drafted to work alongside any Will in the country of residence. Here are the four approaches available, ranked from worst to best.
Option 1: Handwrite Your Will (Not Recommended)
A handwritten (“holographic”) Will is technically legal in some jurisdictions, but it is by far the worst option. Key issues include:
- Not even trained legal professionals write Wills from scratch — they use established legal precedent software
- A well-drafted Will is typically 5–6 pages with 20+ clauses covering executor powers, trusts, alternate plans, and residual beneficiaries
- Holographic Wills are designed for extreme emergency situations (e.g., a person trapped under machinery), not routine estate planning
- There is virtually no chance a layperson can produce a comprehensive, enforceable Will from a blank page
Option 2: Use a Blank Form Will Kit (Risky)
Blank form kits are one step up from writing on blank paper, but they still carry significant risks:
- They cannot check for errors or omissions in your instructions
- They are often too generic to cover jurisdiction-specific laws (the laws of British Columbia differ from Ontario; Texas from California)
- You have no assurance the kit is up-to-date with current legislation
- For expats, you would need a kit specific to your home country — and it would likely revoke any Will you have in your country of residence
- No kit we are aware of creates Wills designed to work together with Wills in other jurisdictions
Option 3: Hire a Lawyer or Solicitor (Expensive and Difficult)
Using a lawyer ensures quality but presents logistical challenges for expats:
- The lawyer must be licensed in the jurisdiction where your assets are held
- You typically need to travel to your home country to meet with the lawyer and sign the documents
- Facsimile and digital signatures are not legally admissible in probate court — the Will must be an original, signed document
- A standard Will costs around $500+ in legal fees, plus travel expenses
- Some lawyers lack the specific expertise to draft an expat Will that works alongside a foreign Will
Option 4: Use an Interactive Online Will Service (Recommended)
The service at ExpatLegalWills.com brings professional-grade estate planning tools directly to you, wherever you are in the world. Advantages include:
| Feature | Lawyer | Blank Kit | ExpatLegalWills.com |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jurisdiction-specific | Yes | Often not | Yes (US, Canada, UK) |
| Error checking | Yes | No | Yes |
| Kept up to date | Varies | No | Yes |
| Works with other Wills | If requested | No | Yes, by design |
| Cost | $500+ | $20–50 | $34.95 / £24.95 |
| Time required | Days/weeks + travel | Hours | ~20 minutes |
| Location requirement | Must visit lawyer’s office | None | Anywhere in the world |
Key Takeaway
An interactive online Will service produces a document word-for-word identical to one created by a lawyer, because it uses the same tried-and-tested legal precedents. The difference is you have direct access to the tools from anywhere in the world.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an online Will as legally valid as one prepared by a lawyer?
Yes. There is no legal requirement to use a lawyer to prepare a Will. A Will created through ExpatLegalWills.com, once printed and signed in the presence of two witnesses, is fully legally binding.
Can I update my Will after creating it online?
Yes. You can log into your account and update your Will at any time. Each time you make changes, you download, print, and sign the updated document.
What if I have assets in multiple countries?
ExpatLegalWills.com creates Wills that deal exclusively with assets in one jurisdiction (US, Canada, or UK). Each Will is designed to complement — not conflict with — Wills written in other countries.
He has over 20 years of experience helping people to write their Will and other estate planning documents. He has been interviewed by many of the major news media outlets and has contributed to articles in most leading publications. He has also contributed to a number of financial planning books.
Throughout his career, Tim has written extensively on the subject of Will writing and estate planning.
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