Will Drafting Worksheet — Free Printable PDF

Walk into the lawyer’s office with the answers, not the questions

A first appointment with an estate attorney costs the same whether you arrive with decisions or with questions — and the decisions are the slow part. This worksheet pre-walks every section a real will contains so the attorney's hour goes to drafting, not to “OK, who do you want to raise the kids if both of you are gone?”.

Specific bequests is the column most people are surprised by — vague language (“my jewellery to my daughter”) breeds family arguments later. Name the item *and* the person, or punt the detail to a Personal Property Memorandum (next page in this category) that the will simply references.

Residuary estate is what catches anything you forgot. Even people with detailed bequest lists miss assets — a residuary clause prevents an accidental intestate share.

Templates only — not legal advice. A handwritten worksheet is not a valid will in any jurisdiction we know of; this is preparation paper, not the document itself.