How to make a will in Texas: a step-by-step guide

1. Make sure a simple will fits your situation

Official Texas simple will forms cover limited family situations. If your family, property, or goals are more complicated, a Texas attorney is the better path. LoneStarWill checks eligibility before you pay. See what a Texas will usually needs and How It Works.

2. Choose the right Texas form

The Supreme Court will-form announcement and the state forms page list the Court-approved options. See official forms vs this guided tool and which Texas will form fits?. TexasLawHelp explains them in everyday language. LoneStarWill is not the Court and is not TexasLawHelp.

3. Decide who should receive your property

Write down who should get what, using full legal names. If the form allows specific gifts, describe them clearly enough that someone else could understand them later.

4. Choose your executor

An executor is the person you name to carry out the will and handle the estate. Choose someone willing to serve, and a backup if the form has space for one.

5. If you have children, think about a guardian

If the form asks, you can name whom you would want to care for minor children. That is a preference. A court still makes the appointment. More detail: naming a guardian in a Texas will. If you expect a disagreement, talk with a Texas attorney.

6. Review everything carefully

Whether you use the Court’s PDF yourself or LoneStarWill’s questions, check every name and choice before you print. The software fills a supported official form. It does not give legal advice.

7. Print and sign the will correctly

Follow the form’s signing instructions. For a standard written will, that usually means two witnesses. Texas law on written wills and witnesses explains those requirements. Official forms often also include a notary because of the self-proving statement. Details: does a Texas will need a notary?

8. Store the original somewhere safe

Keep the signed original where your executor can find it. Tell a trusted person where it is. A photocopy or PDF is not a stand-in for the signed original.

9. Review your will after major life changes

Marriage, divorce, births, deaths, a move, or a big change in property are common times to look again. See the Texas estate planning checklist and what a will can cost.

LoneStarWill is self-help software, not a law firm, does not provide legal advice, and is not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. This page is general information. Creating a PDF is not the same as signing a will correctly.

Source review completed August 2026.