Worried you’ll get halfway through and get stuck?
You can’t break anything. You can save and come back whenever. You can preview every document before you pay. And if something’s wrong, a real Auckland law firm is a phone call away.
You can save and return
Your answers are stored securely. Come back tomorrow, next week, or whenever — you pick up exactly where you left off.
You can preview before you pay
You see a watermarked preview of every document before any payment. If it’s not right, change your answers and preview again.
You can have it reviewed
Want a second set of eyes? Ross Holmes Virtual Lawyers will check and correct your finished document for $86.25. Not advice — a review of what you’ve drafted.
Four steps, at your own pace
You don’t need to finish in one sitting. You don’t need to know the legal words. You just answer questions about your life.
Choose what you need
Pick a complete estate plan bundle, or just one document. Wills from $60. Complete estate plans from $334.50.
Answer plain-English questions
The questionnaire asks about your life, not the law. “Who inherits your home?” — not “name the beneficiary of the residuary estate.”
Preview, then download
See a watermarked preview of every document before you pay. Once you’re happy, pay and download — clean, professionally formatted, with signing instructions.
Sign your documents
Follow the signing instructions that come with every document. EPAs need in-person witnessing by a lawyer (we can arrange that). Everything else you can sign yourself with two witnesses.
Not sure where to start?
Take our free 2-minute assessment and instantly see which documents you need for your situation.
Two paths. You choose.
Most people can handle their will and estate plan themselves. Some prefer a lawyer to do it with them. Both paths end with the same quality of document.
Path 1: Do It Yourself
Complete the DYOdocs questionnaire online, at your own pace. Preview before you pay. Download your documents with plain-English signing instructions. Best for straightforward situations.
Path 2: With Legal Advice
Ross Holmes Virtual Lawyers Limited prepares your documents with professional legal advice and in-person signing at their Albany offices. Best for complex estates, blended families, or trusts.
How we compare to Public Trust
Four tiers of will, two ways to get each one. Our online wills compared with theirs. Our lawyer-drafted wills compared with theirs. Same complexity, fairer prices.
| Product | Price |
|---|---|
Simple Online Will Ours — DYOdocs | $60 $120 couple |
Basic Online Will Theirs — Public Trust | $69 single only |
| Product | Price |
|---|---|
Simple Bespoke Will Ours — RHL | $300 $600 couple |
In-Centre Will Theirs — Public Trust | $750 $1,400 couple |
| Product | Price |
|---|---|
Family Online Will Ours — DYOdocs | $90 $150 couple |
Standard Online Will Theirs — Public Trust | $99 $165 mirror |
| Product | Price |
|---|---|
Family Bespoke Will Ours — RHL | $500 $1,000 couple |
In-Centre Will Theirs — Public Trust | $750 $1,400 couple |
| Product | Price |
|---|---|
Custom Online Will Ours — DYOdocs | $150 $240 couple |
Comprehensive Online Will Theirs — Public Trust | $159 $271 mirror |
| Product | Price |
|---|---|
Custom Bespoke Will Ours — RHL | $700 $1,300 couple |
In-Centre Will Theirs — Public Trust | $750 $1,400 couple |
| Product | Price |
|---|---|
DYOdocs Not offered online | — |
Public Trust Not offered online | — |
| Product | Price |
|---|---|
Specialist Bespoke Will Ours — RHL | from $750 from $1,400 couple |
In-Centre Will Theirs — Public Trust (flat) | $750 $1,400 couple |
What the comparison reveals
Online vs Online
- Cheaper at every online tier. DYOdocs undercuts PT on single-price across Simple, Family, and Custom.
- Couple pricing at Simple tier. PT doesn’t offer Simple as a couple product. We do, at $120.
- Māori land and farm succession included at Custom. PT doesn’t offer either online at any price.
Lawyer-drafted vs In-Centre
- PT charges $750 flat for every In-Centre will. Regardless of complexity.
- Simple estate? PT $750. RHL $300. You save 60%.
- Family estate? PT $750. RHL $500. You save 33%.
- Custom needs? PT $750. RHL $700. Still cheaper, and drafted by a lawyer who contributes to LexisNexis’ Law of Trusts.
“Public Trust charges $750 flat for every In-Centre will — even simple ones. Ross Holmes Lawyers charges only for the complexity you actually have. Starting at $300.”
What’s actually in each will?
Not just price — the legal provisions that make a will stand up when it matters. Line-by-line at each DYOdocs online tier, compared with Public Trust’s equivalent.
← Scroll sideways to see all columns →
| Provision | DYOdocs Simple$60 | PT Basic$69 | DYOdocs Family$90 | PT Standard$99 | DYOdocs Custom$150 | PT Compr.$159 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core will provisions | ||||||
| Unlimited edits for 30 days | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Choose executors / trustees | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Backup executors | ✓ | — | ✓ | — | ✓ | — |
| Leave estate to partner / others equally | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Or leave estate to trust (pour-over will) | ✓ | — | ✓ | — | ✓ | — |
| Leave estate to children / others equally | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Child’s share goes to their children if they die first | ✓ | — | ✓ | — | ✓ | — |
| Information about children | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Burial or cremation wishes | ✓ | — | ✓ | — | ✓ | — |
| Special signature provisions (disability) | ✓ | — | ✓ | — | ✓ | — |
| Family & dependants (Family tier and up) | ||||||
| Detailed trustee powers | — | — | ✓ | — | ✓ | — |
| Guardians for children under 18 | — | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Specific gifts / bequests | — | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Provisions for pets | — | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Contemplation of marriage / civil union | — | — | ✓ | — | ✓ | — |
| Exclude Māori land | — | — | ✓ | — | ✓ | — |
| Complex estates (Custom tier only) | ||||||
| Children from previous relationships | — | — | — | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Blended family provisions | — | — | — | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Include / exclude overseas assets | — | — | — | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rights to occupy / life interest (one beneficiary) | — | — | — | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Uneven shares between beneficiaries | — | — | — | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Include your family trust | — | — | — | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Business owner provisions | — | — | — | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Separation / divorce cover | — | — | — | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Farm succession provisions | — | — | — | — | ✓ | — |
| Include / exclude Māori land | — | — | — | — | ✓ | — |
| Beneficiary protection clauses | — | — | — | — | ✓ | — |
| Disabled beneficiary provisions | — | — | — | — | ✓ | — |
| Excluded beneficiaries clause | — | — | — | — | ✓ | — |
| Specialist-only (RHL Bespoke, not available online) | ||||||
| Pacific Islands will validity provisions | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Additional wills for Australian / Pacific Islands assets | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Testamentary trust creation | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Leave estate to 2 or more trusts | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Charitable remainder trusts / charitable gifts with conditions | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| No contest provisions | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Add-on pricing (optional at any tier) | ||||||
| Statement of Wishes | +$43 | +$45 | +$43 | +$45 | +$43 | +$45 |
| Expert Review (lawyer checks your will) | +$96 | +$98 | +$118 | +$120 | +$151 | +$153 |
| Witnessing (in-person or Zoom) | +$66 | +$68 in-person only | +$66 | +$68 in-person only | +$66 | +$68 in-person only |
★ = a provision we include that Public Trust does not offer at this tier. Specialist-only provisions are available through RHL Bespoke (from $750) and are not offered online by either provider.
Questions people actually ask
The ones that stop people from starting — answered honestly.
Is DYOdocs a law firm?
No. DYOdocs is a document-creation platform. The documents are drafted the way an Auckland law firm drafts them — because every template comes from Ross Holmes Virtual Lawyers Limited, who have practised NZ estate law since 1973. But DYOdocs itself doesn’t give legal advice. If your situation needs advice, Path 2 is for you.
Can I save my progress?
Yes. Create a free account and your answers are stored securely. Come back in an hour, a week, or a year — you pick up exactly where you left off.
Can I preview the document before I pay?
Yes. Once you’ve answered enough questions, you see a watermarked preview of your document. If something’s wrong or you changed your mind, go back, change your answers, and preview again. You only pay when you’re happy.
What if I make a mistake?
You can change any answer at any time before you pay. After you’ve paid and downloaded, if you realise something is wrong, contact us — small corrections are handled free of charge within 30 days. Larger changes can be made by updating the questionnaire and regenerating the document.
Is my data secure?
Yes. Your information is encrypted both while it’s being sent and while it’s stored. Only you, and DYOdocs staff acting on your behalf, can access it. See our Privacy Policy for the details.
Do EPAs need to be witnessed?
Yes. Under NZ law, an Enduring Power of Attorney must be witnessed in person by a practising lawyer or legal executive — Zoom witnessing is not valid for EPAs. EPA prices don’t include the cost of witnessing. You can add our in-person witnessing service for $57.50 per document.
What if I die before I’ve signed my will?
An unsigned will has no legal effect. That’s why the questionnaire ends with clear signing instructions and why we’ll remind you if you haven’t completed the signing step. If you want the peace of mind of witnessing booked in advance, use our witnessing service or Path 2.
What if my circumstances change after I’ve signed?
A will, EPA, or estate plan should be reviewed every few years — and straight away after marriage, separation, the birth of a child, buying or selling a home, or a death in the family. Your DYOdocs account keeps your answers on file, so making a new version is faster the second time around.
Can I talk to a lawyer if I get stuck?
Yes. You can switch from Path 1 to Path 2 at any time. Or you can stay on Path 1 and add an Expert Review — a Ross Holmes lawyer checks and corrects your document for $86.25. You’re never stuck.
What if I’m not satisfied?
Contact us within 30 days and we’ll work with you to put it right, or provide a refund. Our goal is documents you’re confident about — not just paid invoices.
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