Free Wills in San Antonio (2026): Senior Legal Clinics & Estate Planning Help

If you do not have a will, you are not alone — and you do not need to pay a lawyer hundreds of dollars to fix that. In San Antonio, volunteer attorneys and law school clinics prepare complete estate plans free for seniors, veterans, and families with limited income. There are also free, court-approved Texas will forms you can fill out yourself for a simple situation.

This guide covers each real option, who it fits, and what paperwork to gather before you start. One honest note up front: the legal help, the clinic appointments, and the forms are free. What a will does is decide who gets your home, your car, and your belongings — it does not make those things free, and no program here pays your other bills.

Start here: SALSA’s free Wills Clinic

The San Antonio Legal Services Association (SALSA) is a corps of volunteer attorneys, coordinated by professional staff, who provide free civil legal services to people with limited means and to people who are vulnerable or at risk. Estate planning and guardianship is one of SALSA’s priority areas, along with probate and title problems.

SALSA’s Wills Clinic does more than a bare will. Clients leave with a complete estate planning packet: a will, a statutory durable power of attorney, a medical power of attorney, a HIPAA release, a directive to physicians, and a declaration of guardian. Those extra documents matter just as much as the will itself — they say who can make money and medical decisions for you if you are alive but cannot speak for yourself.

SALSA also runs a Small Estate Help Desk, a Deed Help Desk, and a Transfer on Death Deed (TODD) Clinic. A transfer on death deed is a simple, low-cost way for a Texas homeowner to name who gets the house without probate court — worth asking about if the house is your main asset.

The Wills Clinics are held at the Center for Legal and Social Justice at St. Mary’s University School of Law, 2507 NW 36th Street, San Antonio, TX 78228. One thing to know about how SALSA works: most individual clients reach SALSA by referral from a legal services agency or a community partner, rather than by walking in. Veterans may apply to SALSA directly. The practical first step for most families is the TRLA intake line below or a call to 2-1-1 — either one can point you to the right clinic and make the referral.

Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA): free wills and estates help

Texas RioGrande Legal Aid provides free civil legal services to low-income Texans, and its listed services include wills and estates, along with housing, family, consumer, and public benefits cases. TRLA is usually the front door for SALSA referrals in this area, so one call can cover both.

Call TRLA’s toll-free intake line at 888-988-9996 and say you need help with a will or an estate plan. TRLA’s San Antonio office is at 1111 N. Main Ave., San Antonio, TX 78212, phone 210-212-3700. Expect an income screening — legal aid is reserved for people who cannot afford a private attorney — and be ready to explain briefly what you own and who you want to leave it to.

St. Mary’s law clinics: estate planning and clear title

The St. Mary’s University School of Law clinics serve income-qualified clients at the same Center for Legal and Social Justice, 2507 NW 36th Street. The Center’s phone number is 210-431-2596.

Two clinics are especially useful for seniors. The Real Estate Clinic helps low-income homeowners plan estates, remove clouds on title, and protect property wealth for the next generation — the exact problem that comes up when a parent dies without a will and the house cannot be sold or repaired because the title still shows a grandparent’s name. The clinic works with community partners, including TRLA, to find clients. St. Mary’s students also take part in wills and small estate planning projects through the school’s pro bono program.

Free Texas will forms you can do yourself

For a simple estate, Texas gives you another free route. The Supreme Court of Texas has approved standard will forms, and they are free through TexasLawHelp.org and the Texas courts. There are four versions, matched to common situations: single, widowed, or divorced with children; single, widowed, or divorced without children; married with children; and married without children. The Texas State Law Library’s wills guide links each form and explains the types of wills Texas recognizes.

TexasLawHelp also offers a free live chat with a law student, attorney, or paralegal, Monday through Thursday, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Anyone can read the site’s guides and forms free; legal advice through the chat is for Texas residents at or below 125% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. A sister service, Texas Free Legal Answers, lets adults with household income at or below 250% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines post a civil legal question free for a volunteer attorney to answer.

Be honest with yourself about the limits of a form. Use the clinic route instead of a do-it-yourself form if you have a blended family, a child who receives SSI or Medicaid (a plain inheritance can put those benefits at risk), a business, property in another state, or any reason to expect a dispute. In those cases the free attorney help above is still free — it just takes an appointment instead of an afternoon.

What to gather before your appointment

• A list of what you own: house, vehicles, bank accounts, and anything with a title or a beneficiary form.
• The full legal names and addresses of the people you want to leave things to, and of the person you would trust as executor.
• Any existing will, powers of attorney, or deeds — even old ones.
• Photo ID and, for legal aid screening, a rough idea of your household income.
• Your questions, written down. Clinic time is limited, and a written list means nothing important gets forgotten.

Related help on this site

A will is one piece of planning ahead. If you are caring for an aging parent or spouse, our guide to help for family caregivers in San Antonio covers respite, training, and support through the Area Agency on Aging. If property taxes are part of the squeeze on the home you plan to leave behind, our guide to Bexar County property tax breaks explains the homestead, disabled veteran, and deferral options. And if your family also needs free legal help with an immigration matter, free immigration legal help in San Antonio covers RAICES, legal aid, and know-your-rights basics.

Helpful links & phone numbers

• San Antonio Legal Services Association (SALSA) — free volunteer-attorney help, including the Wills Clinic, Small Estate Help Desk, and Transfer on Death Deed Clinic. Most clients arrive by referral; veterans may apply directly.
• San Antonio Law Help — legal aid directory — SALSA’s Estates & Disability programs, TRLA, and Caritas Legal Services (low-cost probate and civil help) in one list.
• Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA) — free wills and estates help for low-income Texans. Intake: 888-988-9996. San Antonio office, 1111 N. Main Ave.: 210-212-3700.
• St. Mary’s University School of Law Clinics — Center for Legal and Social Justice, 2507 NW 36th St., San Antonio, TX 78228: 210-431-2596.
• Texas State Law Library — Wills & Directives guide — the free Supreme Court of Texas will forms, linked by family situation.
• Texas Legal Services Center — online tools — TexasLawHelp.org guides, forms and live chat (Mon–Thu, 10 AM–3 PM), plus Texas Free Legal Answers.
• 2-1-1 Texas — dial 2-1-1 or 877-541-7905 for a referral to local legal aid and other help with food, housing, and bills.

Frequently asked questions

Is a will from a free clinic a real, legal will?

Yes. SALSA’s Wills Clinic packets are drafted by volunteer attorneys, reviewed with help from board-certified estate planning mentors, and signed at a will execution session with a notary and witnesses — the same formal steps a paid attorney uses. A will made with the Supreme Court of Texas forms is also valid when you follow the form’s instructions exactly, including the signing steps.

Who qualifies for free will help in San Antonio?

These programs are built for people with limited income who cannot afford a private attorney. SALSA serves low-income individuals and families, veterans, seniors, and people with disabilities, and most clients come through a referral after an income and case-type check. TRLA screens for income as well. The Texas will forms and TexasLawHelp’s guides, by contrast, are free for anyone to read and use.

What if I only own a house and not much else?

That is the most common situation these clinics handle, and it is exactly why a will — or a transfer on death deed — matters. Without one, your family can face a court process and a clouded title before anyone can sell, repair, or even insure the home. Ask SALSA’s Deed Help Desk or the St. Mary’s Real Estate Clinic which tool fits your house.

What happens in Texas if I die without a will?

Texas law, not you, decides who gets your property, through a set order for spouses, children, and other relatives, and a court has to work through it. That can be slow and can leave out people you would have chosen, such as an unmarried partner or a stepchild you raised. A simple will or transfer on death deed, made free through the options above, replaces that default with your own choices.