Straight answers about making a Will or Enduring Power of Attorney online in Queensland — legal validity, cost, timing, and witnessing rules.
Yes. Under the Succession Act 1981 (Qld), a Will is valid if it is in writing, signed by the testator, and witnessed by two people present at the same time, with at least two of them signing in the testator's presence (s.10). Colwell Wills is a technology-backed law firm — every Will produced through the platform is prepared in accordance with Colwell Legal Pty Ltd, a Queensland law firm. You make it legally binding by printing and signing it correctly, which we walk you through step by step.
Yes, Queensland law does not require a lawyer to draft or witness a standard Will. Any two adults who are not beneficiaries can act as witnesses. Colwell Wills goes further than a plain self-drafted template though — every Will is prepared in accordance with Colwell Legal Pty Ltd, a Queensland law firm, so the underlying wording carries the same standard a solicitor would apply for a simple estate.
No. For a standard Will, any two adults who are not beneficiaries under the Will can witness it. This is different from an Enduring Power of Attorney, which requires at least one witness who is a Justice of the Peace, Commissioner for Declarations, notary public, or lawyer (Powers of Attorney Act 1998 (Qld), s.31).
If you die without a valid Will, Queensland's intestacy rules decide who inherits your estate, in a fixed order set by law — this may not match what you would have chosen, and it doesn't let you appoint a guardian for children or name a specific executor. Making a Will, even a simple one, is the only way to ensure your estate goes to the people you actually intend.
A single Will is $159 as a one-off cost, which includes 12 months of unlimited edits. Two Wills for a couple cost $238 (a $80 saving versus buying separately). An Enduring Power of Attorney is $99 standalone, or $89 when bundled with a Will.
Most people complete the Colwell Wills questionnaire in about 20 minutes. You then review a plain-English draft prepared in accordance with Colwell Legal Pty Ltd, print it, and sign it with two witnesses present — the whole process from start to a validly executed Will typically takes under a day once you've arranged your witnesses.
Yes — Colwell Wills includes unlimited edits for the first 12 months at no extra cost, after which continued unlimited updates are $15 per year, optional and cancel-anytime.
No — Colwell Wills is built for straightforward Queensland estates only: one person, clear beneficiaries, no trusts, and no complex blended-family or business succession arrangements. If your answers suggest your situation is more complex, we tell you before you pay and point you to Colwell Legal Pty Ltd directly, rather than let you complete a document that may not hold up.
Yes. Colwell Wills is a technology-backed law firm — every Will and Enduring Power of Attorney produced through the platform is prepared in accordance with Colwell Legal Pty Ltd, a Queensland law firm. The technology handles the questions and drafting logic; the legal standard behind the document is a real law firm's, not a generic template. If you need advice beyond what the platform covers, Colwell Legal Pty Ltd can help directly.
A Will takes effect after you die and controls how your estate is distributed. An Enduring Power of Attorney takes effect during your lifetime and lets someone you trust make financial (and optionally personal) decisions for you, either immediately or only if you lose capacity. Many people set up both at the same time, which is why Colwell Wills offers them as a bundle.