Vermont Estate Planning Kit vs Online Will Maker: Which Actually Covers Vermont Law?

If you're comparing a Vermont-specific estate planning kit against an online will maker like LegalZoom, Nolo WillMaker, or Trust & Will, the deciding factor is whether you need Vermont coverage or just a generic will. National platforms produce valid wills — but they don't address the three Vermont-specific legal mechanisms that determine whether your estate avoids probate, protects your home from Medicaid recovery, or creates medical directives that emergency responders actually recognize.

Where National Online Will Makers Fall Short in Vermont

National platforms build questionnaire-driven documents that work across all 50 states. That's their strength — and their structural limitation. They handle the universal elements well: naming an executor, distributing assets, appointing guardians for minor children.

But Vermont's legal framework has three features that generic platforms consistently miss:

Town clerk recording instead of county recorder. Every real property transfer in Vermont — deeds, lien releases, title changes — must be filed at the individual town clerk's office where the property sits. There are 251 of them. National platforms reference "your county recorder's office." Vermont doesn't have one.

COLST instead of POLST. Vermont uses Clinician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment, not the national POLST standard. The forms have different legal authority, different execution requirements, and different recognition by emergency medical personnel. A POLST form from a national platform won't be recognized by Vermont EMS.

Enhanced Life Estate Deeds (Lady Bird Deeds). Vermont allows property owners to transfer real estate outside of probate while retaining full control during their lifetime — without triggering a Medicaid lookback penalty. Most national platforms don't offer this because most states don't have it.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Who Should Use a National Online Will Maker

If your situation is straightforward — you rent in Vermont, have no real property, and primarily need a basic will and healthcare proxy — a national platform handles that adequately. The will requirements under 14 V.S.A. § 5 (written, signed, two disinterested witnesses) are standard enough that a generic template produces a legally valid document.

Online will makers also work well as a starting point if you plan to hire a Vermont attorney to review the documents afterward.

Who Should Use a Vermont-Specific Kit

A Vermont-specific estate planning kit like the Vermont Basic Estate Planning Kit makes more sense when your situation involves any of these:

• You own real property in Vermont and need to understand town clerk filing requirements
• You want to transfer your home or family camp outside of probate using a Lady Bird Deed
• You're approaching Medicaid eligibility and need to understand Vermont's probate-only recovery rules
• You need advance directive guidance that covers COLST, not just a generic healthcare proxy
• You want to coordinate wills, beneficiary designations, powers of attorney, and property transfers into one system

The kit covers 15 chapters of Vermont-specific content — from will execution rules and the witness disqualification trap under § 10, to Act 39 medical aid in dying provisions and the $45,000 small estate threshold.

Who This Is NOT For

• Anyone with a multi-state estate exceeding $5 million — you need an attorney and a CPA
• People who want interactive software that fills in forms automatically — the kit is a reference guide with fillable worksheets, not a form generator
• Anyone who needs immediate notarization or witness coordination — the kit tells you what's required, but you arrange the signing yourself

The Cost Question

National platforms charge $89 to $155 per year for subscription access. Over five years, that's $445 to $775 — and your documents disappear if you stop paying.

The Vermont Basic Estate Planning Kit is a one-time purchase with 10 printable PDFs you keep permanently. No subscription, no annual renewal, no paywall between you and your estate plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a will from LegalZoom valid in Vermont?

Yes, if it meets the requirements of 14 V.S.A. § 5 — written, signed by the testator, and signed by at least two credible, disinterested witnesses in the testator's presence. LegalZoom's templates produce valid wills. The gap is in what comes after the will: property transfer mechanics, Medicaid protection, and Vermont-specific medical directives.

Does Nolo WillMaker cover Vermont's Lady Bird Deed?

No. Nolo WillMaker creates wills and basic trusts but does not include Enhanced Life Estate Deed guidance, town clerk recording protocols, or Medicaid recovery strategies specific to Vermont.

Can I use both a national platform and a Vermont-specific kit?

Yes, and some families do. They use a national platform for the interactive will questionnaire and a Vermont-specific kit for the property transfer, Medicaid planning, and medical directive components that the national platform doesn't cover.

Do online will makers handle Vermont's estate tax?

Most address only the federal estate tax exemption ($13.61 million in 2024). Vermont has its own estate tax at a flat 16% rate on estates exceeding $5 million — a threshold that's lower than the federal exemption. The Vermont-specific kit covers both.

What if I move out of Vermont after using a Vermont-specific kit?

Your Vermont will remains valid, but you should update your estate plan to comply with your new state's laws. Property you still own in Vermont will still need to be filed through Vermont's town clerk system regardless of where you live.

See more Vermont guides →