Write Your Will for Free and Let the Good You Do Today Last Forever
- ajoyce140
- Oct 24
- 3 min read
This week marks National Estate Planning Awareness Week (NEPAW), a time to reflect on how thoughtful planning of your will can ensure your loved ones are protected, your wishes respected, and your values live on.
The launch of LIFE’s legacy giving program with FreeWill comes as new U.S. charitable-giving rules under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) take effect. These laws expand tax breaks for cash donations and double the federal estate tax exemption to $15 million per person ($30 million per couple).
In a recent blog post, we explored how the OBBBA made charitable giving more accessible for many Americans. Now, we’re taking that conversation one step further, showing how new tools like FreeWill make legacy giving simple, meaningful, and within reach for everyone.
Gone are the days when creating a will or making a planned gift to charity required lawyers, fees, or endless paperwork. FreeWill’s innovative online platform gives you a simple and secure way to write a legal will in minutes, absolutely free, and include the causes closest to your heart.
What Is Legacy Giving?
Legacy giving, also known as planned giving or charitable bequests, enables individuals to support nonprofit organizations through their estate plans. This could mean including a charity, like Life for Relief and Development (LIFE), in your will, or naming it as a beneficiary of your retirement account, life insurance, or investment plan. These gifts often cost nothing during your lifetime but can transform countless lives in the future.
Why FreeWill Changes Everything
Traditionally, estate planning felt intimidating. Many assumed it required wealth, lawyers, or complex paperwork. FreeWill removes those barriers by offering:
Ease: Complete your will in under 20 minutes from the comfort of your home.
Affordability: It’s completely free, no legal fees or hidden costs.
Flexibility: You can update your will anytime your circumstances change.
Impact: With just a few clicks, you can include a lasting gift to LIFE that supports humanitarian work for generations to come.
Who Is FreeWill?
FreeWill is an innovative online estate planning platform designed to help individuals create a legally valid will in just minutes. Only 30% of Americans have a will, largely due to cost barriers. The founders of FreeWill set out to make estate planning accessible to everyone.
The platform walks users step-by-step through the process and offers the option to include a charitable gift to the causes they care about at no cost to the individual. Today, FreeWill partners with more than 1,500 nonprofits, empowering people to plan for the future with ease while helping organizations sustain their visions for a better world.
Giving Is for Everyone
Many people believe legacy giving is only for those with large estates, but that’s simply not true. You don’t need millions to make a meaningful difference. Even a small percentage of your estate or a single life insurance policy can create lasting change.
Legacy giving allows ordinary people to make an extraordinary impact, feeding families, educating children, providing medical care, and helping communities thrive long after we’re gone.
A Legacy in Action
One of LIFE’s supporters, a retired teacher, recently used FreeWill to include a small percentage of her estate as a gift. Today, her legacy is funding breakfast for children attending school in Somalia, proof that even modest contributions can transform futures.
The Benefits of Leaving a Legacy
Beyond the emotional fulfillment of knowing your compassion will live on, legacy giving offers many benefits:
Peace of Mind: Ensures your wishes are clear and your loved ones are protected.
Financial Stewardship: May provide tax advantages for your estate and heirs.
Enduring Purpose: Keeps your values and beliefs alive.
Your Legacy Lives on Through LIFE
By including LIFE in your will with FreeWill, your legacy continues to:
Provide clean water and nutritious food for families in need.
Support education for orphaned and vulnerable children.
Deliver medical aid and emergency relief in times of crisis.
Fund sustainable projects that empower communities around the world.
Photo of a group of boys smiling beside a newly built LIFE water well in Pakistan.
Start Your Legacy Today
For donors who want to make a difference beyond their lifetime, writing a will with FreeWill is the perfect opportunity.
Regardless of whether you choose to include charitable giving in your will, creating one is a good idea. Passing without a will can complicate the distribution of your estate and may not reflect your personal wishes.
How to Get Started
Creating your will with FreeWill is simple, secure, and takes less than 20 minutes:
Visit FreeWill
Follow the guided steps to create your will for free.
You have the option to choose to include a charitable bequest to support LIFE’s humanitarian programs or a charity of your choice.
Save, sign, and share your will with loved ones.
That’s it - you’ve just built a bridge between your values today and a better tomorrow!
