Wills for parents in Ireland
Make a will for the people you love
Becoming a parent changes how you think about the future.
A will lets you record who you would like to care for your children. You can also choose who will carry out your wishes and decide how everything you own should be shared.
With Willable, you can prepare an Irish will online. We guide you through each decision in clear, simple steps.
You do not need a credit card to get started. You can review your draft before choosing whether to pay for your completed will.
Many straightforward wills take around 20 to 30 minutes. You can save your progress and come back whenever it suits you.
- Free draft
- No card needed
- Save and return
- Made for Ireland
Why making a will matters for parents
A will is about more than money or property. It is a way to record your wishes for the people who rely on you.
You can use your will to:
- Name the person you would trust to care for your children
- Choose an executor, the person who carries out your wishes
- Decide who should receive what you leave behind
- Plan for changes in your family
- Leave particular gifts to people or charities
- Give your loved ones clear written guidance
Without a valid will, Irish law sets out how everything you own is shared. Your family may also have less written guidance about the choices you would have made.
Naming a guardian in your will
Choosing who you would trust to care for your children is a deeply personal decision.
With Willable, you can:
- Name your children
- Tell us if they are under 18 or depend on you
- Record your preferred guardians
- Include those choices in your will
What should you consider?
You may want to think about someone who:
- Knows and cares about your children
- Shares the values that matter to you
- Is willing and able to take on the role
- Has a steady relationship with your family
- Understands the practical and emotional commitment involved
It is a good idea to speak with your proposed guardian before naming them in your will. This gives you both the chance to talk openly about your wishes.
Does the person I name automatically care for my children?
Not always.
A guardian named in a will is sometimes called a testamentary guardian. This simply means someone you have chosen in your will to help care for your child.
What happens in practice can depend on your family circumstances and whether another parent or guardian is still able to care for the child.
In some situations, the person you name may share the role with another guardian. A court may also become involved if people disagree or a decision needs to be made about the child’s care.
Your will still gives clear evidence of who you trusted and what you wanted.
Willable is a document automation service that assists users in preparing a written will. It does not provide legal advice, legal representation, or personalised legal guidance. A qualified solicitor can help where guardianship arrangements need extra care or may be disputed.
Who may care for my children without a will?
There is no single answer. It can depend on:
- Whether another parent or legal guardian is available
- Any guardianship arrangements already in place
- Your child’s individual needs and circumstances
- Requests made by relatives or other people
- What a court believes is best for your child
A grandparent, aunt, uncle, godparent or family friend does not automatically become a guardian because of their relationship with your child.
Making a will lets you record your preferred guardian clearly, giving your family useful written guidance.
Your will can cover more than guardianship
Choose your executor
Include your children
Decide who receives what
Plan for changes
When should parents make or update a will?
There is no perfect time. You can start when it feels right for you.
You may want to make or review your will after:
- The birth or adoption of a child
- Becoming a legal guardian
- Buying a family home
- Getting married or entering a civil partnership
- Starting or ending a long-term relationship
- Welcoming another child
- Changing your preferred guardian
- A significant change in your family or finances
Your will should reflect your life as it is today. After an important change, review it and prepare a new signed version where needed.
How Willable works
Answer clear questions
Tell us about you, your family, your children, the people you trust and how you would like everything you own to be shared.
Review your draft for free
We turn your answers into a structured draft will. You can read it, update your answers and return at any time before paying.
Choose your plan
When you are happy with your draft, choose the plan that gives you access to your completed will.
Print, sign and witness
Download and print your will. We will guide you through signing it correctly and asking the right people to witness it.
Free to start. No card needed. Pay only when you are ready to access your completed will.
Why families choose Willable
Made for people in Ireland
Our questions and documents are designed with Irish law in mind.
Clear, guided steps
Take one decision at a time, with simple explanations along the way.
Draft your will before you pay
Answer the questions and review your draft without entering card details.
Save your progress
Come back whenever it suits you and continue where you left off.
Private and secure
Your answers are stored securely in your Willable account.
Help with signing
We give you clear instructions for printing, signing and witnessing your will correctly.
Is Willable right for my family?
Willable is designed for people in Ireland whose family and financial arrangements are relatively straightforward.
You may benefit from advice tailored to your circumstances where:
- A child or dependant needs a specialist trust, which is a legal arrangement for managing money or property
- Guardianship or care arrangements may be disputed
- You have a blended family with different needs to consider
- You own a business or farm
- You own property outside Ireland
- You believe someone may challenge your will
- You want to leave someone out who may have rights under Irish law
- You are unsure about a parent’s legal guardianship status
A qualified solicitor can help you understand the options available in these situations.
Frequently asked questions
For more on how Irish wills are executed, see our guide to whether a digital will is legal in Ireland, or browse the Willable Help Centre.
Make your wishes clear for the people you love
You cannot plan for every possibility. But you can make things easier by leaving clear guidance for the people closest to you.
Start your will, add your children, record your guardian choices and review your draft before you decide to pay.
No card needed. Save your progress and come back whenever you are ready.
Willable is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. It is a document automation platform that helps users prepare a will through guided templates designed for Irish law.
A will must be printed, signed and witnessed correctly. Its legal effect depends on your individual circumstances and compliance with applicable law. Seek advice from a qualified solicitor where your circumstances are complex or you are uncertain about guardianship, inheritance rights or the suitability of the service.