How do I create a simple will? Is there a form for that?

The Texas Supreme Court approved several official forms in 2023. These forms are for the following people who want to write their own will:

• Will Form for a Person Who is Single, Widowed, or Divorced and Who Has Children
• Will Form for a Person Who is Single, Widowed, or Divorced and Does Not Have Children
• Will Form for a Married Person Who Has Children
• Will Form for a Married Person Who Does Not Have Children

The forms are on the Forms page of the Texas Judicial Branch website. Bilingual versions with instructions in English and Spanish are also available.

Regardless of the situation, it's always a good idea to have a lawyer review your completed will. This can help ensure that your wishes are well documented. For more information on finding an attorney, please see the library's Legal Help page.

Library e-books for wills & estate planning

• Nolo's Quick & Legal Will Book is a great starting point. It includes simple will forms for different family structures (married with children, single, divorced, widowed, etc.)
• Texas Estate Planning from James Publishing may be very useful to a person who wants to write their own will.
• Texas Small-Firm Practice Tools from James Publishing has a chapter dedicated to estate planning.
• Texas Estate Planning from Matthew Bender's Texas Estate & Trust series is the most thorough resource on estate planning in our Digital Collection.

Find a full list of e-books on the Wills, Trusts, and Estate Planning page of the library's Digital Collection.

Related FAQs & Guides

FAQs

• What happens if someone dies without a will?

Guides

• Wills and Directives
• Probate