A free will format for Indian families
A clear format to follow, as a PDF. No sign-up and nothing to pay. It is guidance to help you write your own will, not legal advice.
Download the free PDF · हिंदी में पढ़ें
When a will is valid
A format on its own does nothing. A will is valid only when it is signed and witnessed as the law requires. For most people in India, that means:
- You are an adult, of sound mind, and writing of your own free will.
- You sign it, or put your thumb impression, in front of two witnesses.
- Each witness signs in front of you. The law does not need both at the same moment, but having them together is safest.
- Choose witnesses who receive nothing under the will. A gift to a witness, or to a witness's husband or wife, can fail, even though the rest of the will stands.
- Registering it is optional. An unregistered will is not suspect because it is unregistered.
If you are Muslim, different rules apply. The law on wills quoted here does not cover you, and limits on bequests apply. Please ask a lawyer or Islamic scholar to adapt the format.
What's in the format
It is written in English, with blanks for you to fill in and optional clauses you can delete.
- Your details, your family and any earlier wills
- Your assets: bank accounts, property, investments, vehicles and digital assets
- Guardians for minor children, and your executors
- Who receives what, and what happens if someone dies before you
- Funeral wishes and other instructions
- Signature and witness pages, and notes on storing and reviewing it
Guidance, not legal advice
We help you write down your wishes clearly. We cannot tell you whether your will is right for your situation, and using this format does not make a will valid. Please have a lawyer review it before you sign, especially for a large or complicated estate.
Your family still needs to find it
A signed will helps only if someone knows where it is. Aakhri Pal keeps your will details and the signed copy with your documents, accounts and wishes, in one private place. The will format is free and included in the plan.