How to Write a Will — A Step-by-Step Guide to a Valid Will

Most people put off writing a will because it feels unlucky. But after someone passes, families fighting over an estate is all too common — it's rarely about how much money is involved, and almost always about instructions left unclear. Spend an afternoon writing one and spare your family a lawsuit later. Further reading: Complete Guide to Digital Wills.

Basic Requirements of a Holographic Will

Article 1134 of China's Civil Code: a holographic will must be entirely handwritten, signed, and dated (year, month, and day) by the testator. Miss any one of these three elements and the will can be ruled invalid. Printed wills don't qualify. Wills written by someone else on your behalf don't qualify. You must write every character yourself.

• Entirely handwritten — Write every character yourself. Courts won't accept a printed will. A black ballpoint or gel pen on A4 paper works.
• Signature — Sign your full legal name — not a nickname, pen name, or alias. It must match the name on your ID.
• Date — Write the full year, month, and day. Don't just write '2026' — write 'June 5, 2026'. A missing date is one of the most common reasons a will is ruled invalid.
• Describe property clearly — 'My savings to my son' is too vague. Write 'The savings in China Merchants Bank account XXX to my son Zhang San (ID number XXX)'.
• Name beneficiaries in full — Full name + ID number + relationship. Don't write 'to my wife' — write 'to my spouse Li Si (ID number XXX)'.

Five Situations, Five Approaches

• Single — Focus on digital assets and any wishes for your parents. Physical property passes by intestate succession.
• Married, no children — Your spouse is the first-order heir, but you should still address arrangements for both sets of parents.
• With children — Key points: custody arrangements, education wishes, and how property should be distributed by age.
• Business owner — Company equity, partnership agreements, business succession — this part is best notarized.
• With debts — State your debts clearly so your family isn't blindsided by liabilities they didn't know about.

What a Paper Will Can't Cover — Digital Assets

A paper will can cover a house and bank deposits. But your WeChat balance, Alipay funds, cryptocurrency on exchanges, and photos in cloud storage — a paper will can't reach these. Your family may not even know how many digital assets you have. TimeWill encrypts and stores the passwords and keys to all your digital assets and releases them automatically once a heartbeat check is triggered. Paper plus digital is what complete estate planning looks like.

How to Store a Finished Will

Keep two copies of a paper will: one in a secure place at home (a locked drawer or safe) and one with a trusted person. Store the digital portion in TimeWill, encrypted and backed up. Whichever approach you choose, make sure at least one reliable person knows where your will is.

How Often to Update a Will

Review it every three years. Update it whenever a major change happens — marriage, divorce, the birth of a child, buying property, a large shift in assets, or the death of a named heir. Destroy old wills to keep multiple versions from contradicting each other.

Holographic Will vs. Notarized Will — Which Is Better

A holographic will is free and convenient, but it can be disputed (over handwriting authenticity, mental capacity, and so on). A notarized will costs a few hundred to a few thousand yuan, but leaves almost no room for dispute. If your situation is complex (company equity, multiple marriages), notarization is recommended. For simple estates a holographic will is fine, as long as you follow the format requirements.