---
title: "Free will planner and preparation checklist"
description: "Get a personalised will preparation checklist in five questions. No email required. Includes a download and calendar reminder."
url: "https://swiftwill.co.uk/tools/will-planner/"
author: "Marcus Kaiser"
date_modified: "2026-09-08"
---

# Free will planner and preparation checklist

Answer five questions to get a preparation checklist, relevant guidance and a calendar reminder. No email required. The planner helps you organise your next steps; it does not check a will or give legal advice.

> SwiftWill provides legal information and software for England & Wales under Section 9 of the Wills Act 1837. Figures are taken from gov.uk, legislation.gov.uk and HMCTS, checked 12 August 2026. We have not given you legal advice — this is general information.

## What should you gather before writing a will?

Prepare the names and addresses of your beneficiaries and executors, any guardians you wish to appoint, and your wishes if someone dies before you. Ask the people involved before naming them. Keep an asset list separately; never put passwords or private wallet keys in a will.

## What decisions are worth making before opening the questionnaire?

| Decision | What to prepare |
| --- | --- |
| Who should act? | Choose willing executors and consider who could act if the first choice cannot. Collect their full names and addresses. |
| Who should inherit? | Distinguish specific gifts from the remainder of your estate. Decide what should happen if a beneficiary dies before you. |
| Who depends on you? | Identify children and other dependants. Consider guardians where appropriate and get advice about additional needs or difficult family arrangements. |
| What passes separately? | Check the ownership of your home and contact pension and insurance providers about their arrangements. An asset list alone does not tell you what your will controls. |
| How will you finish? | Plan printing, independent witnesses, a safe place for the original and a way for your executors to find it. |

## When should you get advice first?

Shared property with an unmarried partner, overseas assets, a business, dependants who cannot care for themselves and complicated family arrangements may need professional advice. The planner treats uncertainty as a reason to investigate before buying. See [GOV.UK: writing your will](https://www.gov.uk/make-will/writing-your-will).

## How does the planner handle different situations?

**Example: a parent with straightforward wishes.** Someone living in England or Wales, with children and no identified complexity, receives steps to consider guardians, choose executors and prepare beneficiary wishes. That is a preparation route. The paid interview still asks separate suitability questions before any document is purchased.

**Example: a couple unsure how their home is owned.** Selecting “not sure” about complexity directs them towards advice. They should find out whether they own as joint tenants or tenants in common before assuming either person can leave a share in a will. The planner does not inspect a property title or recommend changing it.

These examples illustrate how the tool routes answers; they are not customer stories or individual recommendations. Read [what a will does not cover](/what-a-will-does-not-cover/) if your uncertainty concerns pensions, property or lifetime decisions.

## What happens after you have a document?

Arrange proper signing and witnessing, keep the original safe, and tell your executors where it is. A PDF alone does not complete those steps. Use our [free executor handover](/executor-handover/) to organise the practical information.

## Frequently asked questions

### Does this create or check a will?

No. It creates a preparation checklist. The paid will-writing interview has separate suitability checks. Neither this planner nor an automated questionnaire can establish capacity or guarantee a valid will.

### Where are my answers saved?

Planner answers stay in this page and clear when you leave. You can download the resulting checklist. The planner does not ask for a name, email, asset value or account.

### Can I use the checklist with another provider?

Yes. It is free to use with any will writer, a solicitor or a suitable DIY route.

Canonical HTML: https://swiftwill.co.uk/tools/will-planner/
Markdown: https://swiftwill.co.uk/tools/will-planner.md
Last modified: 2026-09-08
Author: Marcus Kaiser (https://swiftwill.co.uk/author/marcus-kaiser/)