The article provides a comprehensive analysis of the types of wills in the countries belonging to the Anglo-Saxon legal family (for example, England, USA, Australia, Malta). The article analyzes the regulatory regulation of the institute of wills of countries representing common law, and also highlights the key features of the procedure for making and executing wills in the legal systems under study. The main attention is paid not only to the classification of testamentary acts, but also to a detailed examination of the formal procedures for their preparation and certification, which are a key condition for their validity. The article examines both traditional (known to Russian law) forms of wills and special forms of wills. The article examines current trends in the application and implementation of electronic wills and the use of information technology in the process of making wills both in foreign law and in the perspective of using information technology in making wills in domestic inheritance law. The authors conclude that despite the external variety of forms, the dominant principle remains ensuring the authenticity of the testator's last will through formalized procedures adapted to new social and economic realities.