10 Best Charities that Offer Free Wills | Full List with Details
Editor’s Note — Updated April 2026. Our team reviews nonprofit and fundraising guides quarterly, cross-referencing program details against Charity Navigator, CharityWatch, GuideStar/Candid, and BBB Give.org — and we publish program or naming updates within 7 days of verified changes. Spotted an outdated name or broken link? Email team@nonprofitpoint.com and we’ll correct the record.
We all know the importance of having a will, but for many of us, creating one can be a daunting and expensive task. Fortunately, there are charities out there dedicated to making the process more accessible. By offering free wills to those in need, these organizations are helping individuals and families plan for the future and protect their loved ones.
In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the most significant charities that offer free wills, and discover how you can take advantage of this valuable service. So, if you’ve been putting off creating a will or want to learn more about how you can support this important cause, keep reading!
Here are 10 Best Charities that Offer Free Wills:
1. FreeWill
First up we have FreeWill, an online platform that allows you to create a legally valid will for free. The process is simple and can be completed in a matter of minutes. FreeWill also offers the option to create a revocable living trust for a fee.
The platform is user-friendly and provides step-by-step guidance to help you customize your will according to your preferences. The platform has partnered with over 100 nonprofits to provide you with the opportunity to leave a lasting legacy through charitable giving. The foundation is not rated by any charity watchdog.
2. Wills for Heroes
They are a national nonprofit organization that provides free estate planning services, including wills, to first responders and their spouses or domestic partners. The organization’s mission is to provide peace of mind to those who risk their lives every day to protect our communities.
Wills for Heroes has volunteer attorneys who donate their time and expertise to help first responders create wills, powers of attorney, and other essential documents. The organization operates through local chapters and has served thousands of first responders across the United States since its inception. They too are not yet rated by any charity analyzers.
3. Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid (TRLA)
TRLA, it is a nonprofit organization that provides free legal services to low-income individuals and families in Texas. TRLA offers a range of legal services, including help with housing, employment, consumer issues, and public benefits.
TRLA has offices throughout Texas and serves over 20,000 clients each year. The organization also operates a legal aid hotline that provides assistance to individuals in need. TRLA’s services are critical for those who cannot afford legal representation and would otherwise be unable to navigate the legal system. As on Charity Navigator, they have total ratings of 85% with 3 stars.
4. The Legal Aid Society of Columbus
They are a nonprofit organization that provides free legal services to low-income residents of Columbus, Ohio. The organization’s mission is to promote access to justice and provide legal assistance to those who cannot afford it.
The Legal Aid Society of Columbus has a team of attorneys who provide assistance with a range of legal issues, including housing, family law, public benefits, and consumer issues. The organization also operates a legal aid hotline that provides immediate assistance to those in urgent need. Speaking of ratings, they have a perfect score of 100% on Charity Navigator.
5. Iowa Legal Aid
ILA is a nonprofit organization that provides free legal services to low-income Iowans. The organization’s mission is to promote equal justice and improve the lives of those who cannot afford legal representation. Iowa Legal Aid has a team of attorneys who provide assistance with a variety of legal issues, including housing, family law, public benefits, and consumer issues.
The organization also operates a legal aid hotline that provides immediate assistance to those in urgent need. Iowa Legal Aid is a valuable resource for low-income Iowans who need legal help and cannot afford to pay for an attorney. They have a perfect score of 100% on Charity Navigator.
6. The Pro Bono Project
Up next is the Pro Bono Project. It is a nonprofit organization that provides free legal services to low-income residents of Louisiana. The organization’s mission is to improve access to justice and provide legal assistance to those who cannot afford it.
The Pro Bono Project has a team of volunteer attorneys who donate their time and expertise to help individuals with a variety of legal issues, including housing, family law, and consumer issues.They have a charity score of 88% with 3 stars on Charity Navigator
7. Atlanta Legal Aid Society
They aim to provide free legal services to low-income residents of Atlanta. The organization’s mission is to promote access to justice and provide legal assistance to those who cannot afford it. Atlanta Legal Aid Society has a team of attorneys who provide assistance with a range of legal issues, including housing, family law, public benefits, and consumer issues.
The organization also operates a legal aid hotline that provides immediate assistance to those in urgent need. They have a solid charity rating of 100% on Charity Navigator.
8. Northwest Justice Project
It is a nonprofit organization that provides free civil legal services to low-income residents of Washington state. The organization’s mission is to promote access to justice and provide legal assistance to those who cannot afford it.
Northwest Justice Project has a team of attorneys who provide assistance with a variety of legal issues, including housing, family law, public benefits, and consumer issues. The organization also operates a legal aid hotline that provides immediate assistance to those in urgent need. They have received 4 stars on Charity Navigator with a total score of 93%.
9. The Legal Aid Society of Hawaii
It is a nonprofit organization that provides free legal services to low-income residents of Hawaii. The organization’s mission is to promote access to justice and provide legal assistance to those who cannot afford it.
The Legal Aid Society of Hawaii has a team of attorneys who provide assistance with a range of legal issues, including housing, family law, public benefits, and consumer issues. The organization also operates a legal aid hotline that provides immediate assistance to those in urgent need. They have a perfect score of 100% with 4 gold stars on Charity Navigator.
What a Free Will Doesn’t Cover — Three Pipelines Every Estate Document Should Reference
A free will from a charity-funded program covers the legal mechanics of who gets what — but it rarely covers the operational mechanics of how. Three pipelines belong in any will-and-trust conversation, and almost no estate attorney brings them up unprompted: the piano-donation directory (heirloom instruments are the single most-bequested ‘I want it to go to a good home’ asset class, and the average attorney has no idea where to route them), the home-repair assistance directory (because surviving spouses inherit deferred maintenance the household had been deferring on two incomes, and aging-in-place rehab grants are widow-eligible by design), and the medical-bill assistance directory (because terminal-illness planning intersects with planned-giving decisions far more than estate attorneys acknowledge — many would-be bequest dollars get consumed by end-of-life medical debt that could have been negotiated down). Read these three before you sign your free will.
- Charities That Accept Pianos — Piano-donation directory — heirloom pianos are the single most-bequested ‘I want it to go to a good home’ cultural asset in U.S. estate practice. Most free-will attorneys list ‘piano’ under ‘tangible personal property to specific beneficiary’ and never tell the executor where to route an unwanted instrument. This directory is the operational bridge between a will’s residuary clause and an actual youth-orchestra placement.
- Charities That Help With Home Repairs — Home-repair assistance directory — surviving spouses inherit deferred maintenance, and aging-in-place rehab grants exist precisely to keep widows and widowers in their houses past the death of a spouse. AARP HomeFit, HUD HOME, Habitat for Humanity Aging-in-Place, and Rebuilding Together all run widow-eligible rehab programs. Reference this directory in your estate-planning checklist.
- Charities That Help With Medical Bills — Medical-bill assistance directory — terminal-illness planning intersects with planned-giving decisions far more than estate attorneys acknowledge. Many would-be bequest dollars get consumed by end-of-life medical debt that could have been negotiated down within the bereavement window. This directory is the leverage tool most planned-giving donors don’t know exists when they sit down to sign a free will.
10. Legal Aid of North Carolina
It is a nonprofit organization that provides free legal services to low-income residents of North Carolina. The organization’s mission is to promote access to justice and provide legal assistance to those who cannot afford it.
Legal Aid of North Carolina has a team of attorneys who provide assistance with a range of legal issues, including housing, family law, public benefits, and consumer issues. The organization also operates a legal aid hotline that provides immediate assistance to those in urgent need. The charity has a rating of 100% on Charity Navigator with 4 gold stars.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, charities that offer free wills play a vital role in ensuring that everyone has access to essential end-of-life planning resources. By removing the financial barriers to creating a will, these organizations empower individuals and families to take control of their futures and protect their loved ones.
But while free wills are an important resource, we must also consider the systemic issues that contribute to the inequalities that make them necessary. Lack of access to legal resources is just one aspect of a much larger problem, and we must work together to address the root causes of this issue.
As individuals, we can support these charities by taking advantage of their services or donating to help fund their work. But we can also advocate for policy changes that address access to legal resources and ensure that everyone has the opportunity to plan for their futures.
By combining our individual efforts with collective action, we can create a world where everyone has access to the resources they need to protect their loved ones and plan for the future. So let’s continue to support these charities and work towards a brighter, more equitable future for all.
