There are two types of forms that can be used to make wills online. A last will & testament template covers financial issues that occur during the distribution of property after a person's death. This type of form may have a section devoted to guardianship or conservatorship for minor children. It will also feature a place to list a preferred executor. This is the personal administrator who will see to it that the will goes through probate court and all taxes/debts are paid out of the estate.

The second type of will is a "living will". This document covers final directives regarding what medical care is permissible when a person is terminally ill and unlikely to regain consciousness. One advantage of writing wills online is that the instructions are usually provided along with the forms. This makes it easy to locate the answers to frequently asked questions. Another plus is the ability to update a will form as needed and print out an entirely new original to be signed. This is less confusing (and less likely to raise questions regarding authenticity) than marking out and rewriting items on an existing will. All prior versions of a will should always be destroyed when a new one is printed out.