Trust & Will Alternatives: A Simpler Way to Get Organized

Online will services made estate documents more accessible, and that's a good thing. But they're not the only path — and for many families, they cover only part of what matters.

Here's how to think about alternatives.

What those services do well

Online will platforms help you generate legal documents — a will, sometimes a trust, powers of attorney — at a lower cost than a lawyer. If you know you need formal documents and want to skip the law office, they're a reasonable choice.

What they often don't cover

• Organizing the documents you already have — insurance policies, account numbers, deeds, passwords
• Making sure someone can actually find them — a will in a drawer no one knows about helps no one
• Your digital life — email, photos, subscriptions, online accounts
• Personal messages for loved ones — the things a legal document can't hold
• A trusted contact who can reach it all — the bridge between your records and your family

These are the gaps most families fall into. The will exists; everything around it is missing. According to Caring.com's 2025 Wills Survey, only 24% of Americans have a will — and even those who do often leave their families searching for the records and accounts that go with it.

What a digital vault covers

A secure vault is built for the parts a will doesn't touch:

• Category-based storage — financial accounts, insurance, digital assets, legal documents, personal messages, and more, each in its own place
• Encrypted at rest — your sensitive records stay private until they're needed
• Trusted contacts with scoped access — you decide who can reach what, and when
• A release system — if you become unresponsive, your records reach the right people through a check-in and confirmation process
• Personal messages — the words you'd want loved ones to hear, stored securely

Used together

This isn't either-or. Many families use both: a formal will (from a lawyer or an online service) for the legal documents, and a digital vault for everything around them — the records, the access, the messages, the trusted contacts.

The will says what should happen. The vault makes sure it can. If you're not sure whether you even need a formal will, our guide on wills for people with few assets can help you decide.

The practical takeaway

If you're comparing options, ask what each one actually covers. A will alone leaves your family searching for the documents they'll need. A vault alone doesn't create legal documents. Together, they're complete.

Start with the vault — it's the part you can do today, and it helps regardless of which legal path you choose. For what to look for, see our guide to the best app to organize important documents and secure document storage for families.

Related reading

• Do I Need a Will If I Don't Have Many Assets?
• The Best App to Organize Important Documents
• Secure Document Storage for Families: What to Look For

For employers placing staff abroad, see how this applies in Duty of Care for Overseas Workers.