Home / Life The most important parenting task you can complete today—and it only takes 5 minutes We've found the easiest and most affordable way to help protect your family. By Motherly + Fabric October 30, 2018 Rectangle When my husband and I were expecting our first child, we also had the lovely experience of trying to sell a car. One potential buyer, a lawyer who was looking to buy a vehicle for his daughter, tried to bargain with us: Would we give him the car in exchange for his legal services in writing a will? After all , he reasoned while gesturing to my belly, you will need one soon. He was right about that—but completely wrong that we needed to sign away a car in order to get a legally enforceable will. As a Motherly editor, I was thrilled to discover recently that through Fabric ‘s online last will and testament tool, my husband and I are now able to create that will in just about five minutes and for the grand total of $0. (Meanwhile, we sold that car to a paying buyer.) Fabric is a new kind of life insurance company, and because they designed the service with families in mind, they’ve taken steps to help remove the hang-ups that can cause people to postpone drawing up a will—including the expense of consulting with a lawyer, although it is recommended you do consult with one if you have specific questions or a complicated estate. Now, creating a legally enforceable will is as easy as plugging in personal information and (in most states) getting two witnesses who aren’t named in the will to sign off on it. Presto—you’ve instantly helped to protect your family . Even better, Fabric recently rolled out a feature called Trusted Contacts, which allows you to share your will directly with your partner. Whenever I update something in my own will, my husband will be notified and always know where to find my most up-to-date wishes. TRY FABRIC TODAY Here are four reasons why it’s incredibly simple—and incredibly important—to draw up a will in a mere five minutes. 1. You can check it off your to-do list while brewing coffee It’s so easy to get absorbed in the small details that are necessary to keep the household functioning. While “get milk from the store” may seem like a more urgent need than creating a will, helping to ensure your family will be supported without you is probably one of the easiest and cheapest items to check off your list. Thanks to Fabric , technology for creating a last will and testament is meeting parents where they already are: on their smartphones or computers. In fact, almost two thirds of all customers made a will on their phones. Better yet, it’s fast. According to the company’s data , the median time for a Fabric customer to write a will was only seven minutes, and more than three in four people knocked this off their to-do lists in less than five minutes. A few minutes in exchange for a lifetime’s worth of peace of mind sounds like a good deal to me. 2. You don’t need a personal attorney (or those fees) Getting a trustworthy, legally enforceable will doesn’t have to cost, say, the price of a car. The savvy folks at Fabric realized there was a better way: By consulting with lawyers to help draft a will template that is legal for use in all 50 states, that is 100% free. Of course, if your situation is more complex or if you have specific questions along the way, it’s always a good idea to speak with a qualified legal professional as you get your affairs in order. 3. Your loved ones will always know where to find your will With Fabric’s latest Trusted Contacts feature, your spouse or beneficiary will never have to dig through drawers, desks and piles of paper to find the latest copy of your will. This seemingly simple feature can make a huge impact if the need arises to find the proper documentation and ensure it is current. 4. The conversation about your legacy shouldn’t be intimidating For families, especially those with young children, one of the most essential objectives in creating a will is designating guardians in the unlikely case they are needed. Although this isn’t exactly a fun subject to think about, it is so empowering to address it straight on and know your family will be in good hands. Of course, this requires some due diligence and direct conversations with the people you hope to select as your children’s legal guardians . If and when the would-be guardian accepts, you can share further details about your finances and personal hopes. You might even consider leaving an ethical will that would outline the values you hope to pass down to your loved ones. TRY FABRIC Just like when faced with the question of whether we should give away a car in exchange for a will, deciding whether to use Fabric to draft a legally enforceable last will and testament was a no-brainer—only, this time, it was an enthusiastic “yes.” This article was sponsored by Fabric . Thank you for supporting the brands that support Motherly and mamas. The latest Life Washington Post politics reporter Yasmeen Abutaleb on being seven months pregnant on the campaign trail Style Zooey Deschanel’s tips on how to get holiday party-ready (without putting your finger through your tights while your kids are yelling for dinner) Motherly Stories What is the ‘gratitude trap’? How gratitude can keep us stuck Getting Pregnant What to know about using supplements for fertility—and when to start taking them in preconception