Online wills are cheaper and easier. But can a ₹499 will protect a ₹5 crore estate?

Making a will is becoming easier as online platforms such as Yellow, Aasan Will, KustodianLife and No Grey offer digital estate-planning services. Prices range from ₹499 for DIY options to around ₹30,000 for fully assisted services.

But the cheapest will is not necessarily the most appropriate one. The bigger question is whether the service adequately captures your assets, ownership arrangements and family circumstances.

How do online wills work?

Most platforms begin with a questionnaire covering personal details, dependants, executors, witnesses, assets and how these should be distributed. The information is then used to prepare the will, usually as a PDF.

The document still needs to be printed and signed in the presence of two witnesses, who must also sign it. A digital signature alone does not make a will legally valid.

DIY services may work for people with relatively straightforward estates.

“DIY works for people who are sure their assets are not complicated, and their distribution is straightforward. Otherwise, we do not encourage this approach. We also nudge people to take assistance in cases such as divorce, remarriage, multiple real estate holdings or if the person is an NRI,” said Kunal Kabra, co-founder, KustodianLife.

What does an online will cost?

Yellow charges ₹2,499 for its basic plan and ₹5,499 for its premium plan. Registration assistance can take the total beyond ₹15,000.

KustodianLife charges ₹12,500 for a customised will, with registration costing another ₹8,000- ₹15,000. Its DIY option starts at ₹499.

Aasan Will does not offer a DIY product. Its basic plan starts at ₹4,999, while its end-to-end service costs around ₹30,000.

However, consumers should compare what is included rather than simply choosing the lowest price.

“A lot of big firms charging big bucks may overlook basic estate planning conflicts, while a lawyer charging ₹10,000 could also end up being really good,” said Sebi-registered investment adviser Viresh Patel.

The bigger risk: incomplete information

Online questionnaires can make it easier to list assets, but they cannot always identify information the user does not know is relevant.

“India is not financially literate. People may not know what to ask or what information to disclose,” said Patel.

He cited the example of a person who believed investments with nominees did not need to be covered by a will. The individual also did not disclose those investments to the lawyer.

Ownership can create another complication. “For example, someone may have paid for a property, but it was bought in somebody else’s name. It is not his property, and he cannot will it. Similarly, some properties are jointly held, but a person may still put the entire property under his will,” said Patel.

Is registration mandatory?

No. Registration of a will is not mandatory, although it can provide additional evidence of authenticity.

“One of the reasons people feel apprehensive about registering is that they may have to make changes later. Registration is not mandatory, so if they are doing it, they can take their time and register when they are fairly confident there will be no changes. If changes are required, editing the will is still easy. The second will will prevail even if it is not registered. But if someone wants to take the extra precaution, they should register the revised will again,” said Kabra.

The government registration fee is ₹100, while document handling or scanning charges are around ₹20- ₹40 per page. Wills are exempt from stamp duty.

Online platforms can also offer trusts, powers of attorney, living wills and post-demise assistance.

For consumers, the takeaway is simple: choose based on the complexity of your estate and the quality of legal review, not just the price.