Trust & Will vs Afterly: Which Comes First?

If you are comparing Trust & Will and Afterly, the short answer is that they do different jobs. Trust & Will helps you create legal documents such as a will or a living trust. Afterly helps you organize everything around those documents and makes sure the right people can reach it. This guide compares them side by side, with respect for both, so you can decide where to begin.

The quick version: start with Afterly to take the first step in about ten minutes, then create your will or trust with a service like Trust & Will or an attorney, then store a copy of what you create in your Afterly vault.

What Trust & Will does

Trust & Will is an online estate planning service. Based on the information on its website, you answer a short set of questions, such as whether you have children under 18, whether you are married, which state you live in and whether you own real estate, and it recommends a plan. It offers two main plans:

• Will Plan (from about $199): a Last Will and Testament, a HIPAA authorization, a living will and a power of attorney. It lets you name guardians for children and pets and decide who receives your money, property and possessions.
• Trust Plan (from about $499): everything in the Will Plan plus a revocable living trust, a pour-over will, a schedule of assets, a certification of trust and a trust funding guide. It is aimed at people who want to avoid probate and keep their estate details private, and it is popular with homeowners.

Add-ons include a yearly membership (about $49 a year at the time of writing) that bundles AI-powered answers, a secure digital vault for important documents and one free document shipment, plus optional attorney support. For more complex situations, such as a child with special needs, a larger business or a blended family, the company says it will match you with a pre-screened attorney.

Prices and plans change, so check the provider's current details before you decide.

What Afterly does

Afterly is a secure digital vault. It does not draft legal documents or give legal advice. Instead it focuses on the part that tends to be missing even when a will exists: the practical information your family needs.

• Category-based storage for financial accounts, insurance, digital assets, legal documents, medical information, property, instructions and personal messages
• Personal and video messages for the words you want loved ones to hear
• Trusted contacts you choose, with control over which categories each person can see
• A confirmed release process using regular check-ins, a grace period, confirmation from trusted contacts and a final safety window, so your vault is not opened early or by the wrong person
• Encryption with your own passphrase, explained on our data protection page

Afterly is free to start, with paid plans for more storage and contacts. See pricing for current details.

Trust & Will vs Afterly at a glance

• Main purpose: Trust & Will creates legal documents. Afterly organizes information and controls who can reach it.
• Best first step for: Trust & Will suits people ready to make formal legal decisions. Afterly suits anyone who has not started and wants a low-effort first step.
• Output: Trust & Will gives you a will or trust. Afterly gives you a complete, organized record of accounts, documents, wishes and messages.
• Cost to begin: Trust & Will starts at a one-time price per plan. Afterly starts free.
• Who is notified and when: Trust & Will documents take effect through legal processes. Afterly releases your vault to trusted contacts only after missed check-ins and confirmations.
• Digital life: Afterly is built around online accounts, subscriptions and digital assets. A will rarely covers where those accounts are or how to reach them.

Neither is better in every case. They solve different parts of the same problem.

Why a will alone is not enough

A will says who should receive your property. It does not tell your executor which bank you use, where the deeds are, which email account holds your subscriptions or how to find your insurance policy. According to Caring.com's 2025 Wills Survey, only 24% of Americans have a will, and many of those who do still leave families searching for the paperwork and accounts that go with it.

Probate, the court-supervised process of settling an estate, also depends on information. The American Bar Association explains that probate rules vary by state, and the executor still has to gather and account for assets whether or not probate is avoided. Having everything in one organized place makes that work faster and less stressful. For a broader look, read our digital estate plan checklist.

Why start with Afterly first

Many people delay estate planning because it feels big. Choosing between a will and a trust, finding a lawyer and gathering paperwork can stall anyone. Starting with Afterly removes that barrier:

1. It takes about ten minutes. Add your main email, your bank accounts and one trusted contact. These three open most other doors.
2. It is free to start. There is nothing to pay before you have made progress.
3. It builds what a formal plan needs. When you later sit down to create a will or trust, you already know your assets, accounts and wishes.
4. It protects you in the meantime. Even before a will exists, your family has a path to the information they need.

If you have children, a will is also how you name legal guardians. Our guide to guardianship for your kids explains what to think about before you do.

Then create your will or trust

Once your vault has the basics, move on to the legal side. Here is how to think about the choice, drawing on the guidance Trust & Will itself gives:

• A will may be enough when your estate is straightforward, you want the quickest and most affordable option, and your main goal is naming guardians and beneficiaries.
• A trust may be worth adding when you own a home or significant assets, want to avoid probate, or want control over when and how assets are distributed.
• An attorney may be the better route when you have a business, a blended family, a child with special needs or a very large estate.

Probate costs and rules differ widely by state, and not everyone needs a trust. If you want a state-specific picture, your local court system explains the process, for example New York's probate guide. If you are unsure whether you need a formal will at all, read Do I need a will if I don't have many assets?.

Finally, store what you create in Afterly

After you sign your will, trust or power of attorney, the last step is making sure people can find it. Upload a copy to your Afterly vault under Legal Documents and add a note about where the originals are kept and who your attorney or executor is. Then choose which trusted contacts can see it.

This closes the common gap where a perfectly good will sits in a drawer nobody knows about. It also works with whichever provider you choose, whether that is Trust & Will, another online service or a local attorney. For more on what happens to the rest of your digital life, see what happens to online accounts when you die. Looking for other options? Our guide to Trust & Will alternatives covers how a vault fits in.

Which should you choose?

• Choose Afterly first if you have not started, feel overwhelmed, or want your family to be able to find everything as soon as possible.
• Choose Trust & Will (or an attorney) first if you already know you need a will or trust and have the information ready.
• Choose both if you want the full picture: legal documents that say what should happen, and a vault that makes it possible.

Ready to take the first step? Create your free Afterly vault and add your first account today. This article is general information, not legal advice. Rules vary by state and country, so speak to a qualified professional about your situation.

Frequently asked questions

Is Afterly a replacement for Trust & Will?

No. Trust & Will helps you create legal documents such as a will or a living trust. Afterly does not draft legal documents. It helps you organize accounts, documents and messages, and makes sure trusted people can reach them. Many people use both.

Should I start with Afterly or Trust & Will?

If you have not done anything yet, start with Afterly. You can build your vault for free in about ten minutes, which gives you the list of accounts, assets and wishes you need for any formal plan. Then create your will or trust, and store a copy in your vault.

Can I store my Trust & Will documents in Afterly?

Yes. Once you have created a will, trust or power of attorney, you can upload a copy to your Afterly vault under Legal Documents, add notes on where the originals are kept, and choose which trusted contacts can see it.

Does a will replace the need for a digital vault?

No. A will says who receives your assets, but it does not list your accounts, passwords, insurance policies or where documents are kept. A vault fills those gaps so your executor and family can act on the will.

Is a will or a living trust better?

It depends on your situation. A will is simpler and usually cheaper, and it is where you name guardians for children. A living trust can help avoid probate and keep details private, which many homeowners value. Rules vary by state, so consider speaking to an estate planning attorney.

Do I need a lawyer to make a will?

Not always. Many people with straightforward estates use an online service, while those with complex needs, such as a business, a blended family or a child with special needs, often benefit from an attorney. This article is general information, not legal advice.