Most people don’t fully understand their wills. They sign what their solicitor puts in front of them, file it away, and hope it does what they intended. But wills are legal documents written in legal language, and that can lead to confusion, especially for your family.
But what if there was a simple way to stress-test your will? Something to help you understand what it really says, so you can ask better questions and make more confident decisions?
That’s where AI comes in.
Using ChatGPT to review your Will
To be clear: ChatGPT and other AI tools cannot replace a solicitor. They don't give legal advice. But they can:
- Translate your will into plain English
- Highlight vague or confusing language
- Prompt useful questions to ask your solicitor
It can be a judgment-free way to generate questions, but it is not a private legal review.
AI can make errors or omit important context and cannot confirm legal effect; a solicitor should review any Will or change.
How to Try It:
1. Do not upload an executed Will or a document containing personal information to a public AI service. If you choose to explore the wording, use a fictional or fully anonymised extract instead. 2. Use one of these prompts:
“Can you explain this will in plain English?” “Are there any terms that might be unclear to the average person?” “What questions should someone ask their solicitor about this will?”
A real example you can try
Let’s imagine a simple clause from a will:
“I bequeath my residuary estate equally between my children, John and Sarah, provided that if either predeceases me, their share shall pass to their issue per stirpes.”
Copy that into ChatGPT and ask:
"Explain this in plain English. Are there any areas where this might be confusing or not work as intended?"
You’ll likely get a response such as:
This clause splits everything between John and Sarah. If one dies before the will-maker, their share goes to their children. "Per stirpes" means the inheritance flows down the family line. It doesn’t mention what happens if a child has no children or if there are stepchildren. Raises questions like: Are adopted children included? What if someone lives overseas?
Suddenly, you’re thinking more critically about your own will.
Why this matters
Most people believe their will is “sorted”. But many wills are technically valid yet strategically flawed. AI can help highlight:
Whether your intentions are actually clear Whether family changes (e.g. divorce, estrangement) are accounted for Whether trusts or tax strategies might be worth revisiting
This isn’t about legal shortcuts. It’s about clarity.
When you understand what your will says, you’re in a better place to decide what you want it to say. If that leads to a proper legal review, all the better.
And if you want help thinking through the strategy before you involve a solicitor, we’re here.
We don’t draft wills. We help you think clearly about them as Estate Planning Specialists.
Next steps
Do not upload an executed Will or a document containing personal information to a public AI service. If you choose to explore the wording, use a fictional or fully anonymised extract instead.
And if you want help reviewing the big picture, family, tax, trusts, and what your legacy really means, you can book a private chat with us.
The Wealth Coach, an independent financial advisory firm based in the UK. Nic Round, Chartered Wealth Manager.
If you want advice from Independent Chartered Financial Advisers, click here
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Can AI Review My Will?
More and more people are asking whether AI will review their will in a way that actually helps them understand it. Most people don’t fully understand their wills. They sign what their solicitor puts in front of them, file it away, and assume it does what they intended. But wills are legal documents written in legal language, and that can lead to confusion, especially for your family.
So the real question is not whether AI replaces a solicitor. It is whether AI can help you understand what your will really says before you make changes or assumptions.
That’s where using AI thoughtfully can become useful.
Using ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini et al... to Review Your Will
Translate your will into plain English
Highlight vague or confusing language
Prompt useful questions to ask your solicitor
Do not upload an executed Will or a document containing personal information to a public AI service. If you choose to explore the wording, use a fictional or fully anonymised extract instead.
Use one of these prompts:
“Can you explain this will in plain English?”
“Are there any terms that might be unclear to the average person?”
“What questions should someone ask their solicitor about this will?”
“I bequeath my residuary estate equally between my children, John and Sarah, provided that if either predeceases me, their share shall pass to their issue per stirpes.”
"Explain this in plain English. Are there any areas where this might be confusing or not work as intended?"
This clause splits everything between John and Sarah.
If one dies before the will-maker, their share goes to their children.
"Per stirpes" means the inheritance flows down the family line.
It doesn’t mention what happens if a child has no children, or if there are stepchildren.
Raises questions like: Are adopted children included? What if someone lives overseas?
Whether your intentions are actually clear
Whether family changes (e.g. divorce, estrangement) are accounted for
Whether trusts or tax strategies might be worth revisiting
Do not upload an executed Will or a document containing personal information to a public AI service. If you choose to explore the wording, use a fictional or fully anonymised extract instead.
If you want something more structured, we have developed Evoa for financial decisions. You can access Evoa here https://www.thewealth.coach/evoa
And if you want help reviewing the big picture — family, tax, trusts, and what your legacy really means — you can book a private chat with us here https://www.thewealth.coach/contact
Want more prompts to help your financial decisions. Check out here https://www.thewealth.coach/prompts