Estate Planning Guides
Free, research-backed guides written in plain English — no legal jargon, just clear answers to the questions that matter.
10 Estate Planning Mistakes That Can Devastate Your Family
The most common estate planning errors — from outdated beneficiaries to unfunded trusts — and exactly how to fix them before it's too late.
Digital Assets and Estate Planning: What Happens to Your Online Life
Digital assets estate planning requires deliberate action because online accounts, cryptocurrency, and digital files don't transfer automatically the way physical property does. This guide explains what counts as a digital asset, how to document what you own, and how to give your executor legal access without compromising your security today.
Durable Power of Attorney: What It Is and Why You Need One
A durable power of attorney stays valid if you become incapacitated — unlike a regular POA. Learn the difference and how to set one up correctly.
Essential Elements of a High-Quality Will
Secure your legacy and ensure your assets are distributed exactly as you intend by mastering the essential elements of a high-quality will. Learn the critical requirements for a legally sound document, from naming beneficiaries to appointing an executor, and take action to protect your loved ones' future.
Estate Planning Checklist — Everything You Need to Get Your Affairs in Order
A comprehensive estate planning checklist organized by phase — from the essential documents every adult needs to advanced planning for larger estates and business owners. Use this guide to identify what you have, what you are missing, and what to tackle first.
Estate Planning for New Parents: The 4 Documents You Need Right Now
Estate planning for new parents is one of the most important — and most commonly delayed — tasks after having a baby, because a will and life insurance are the only way to ensure your child is cared for by the person you choose and financially protected if something happens to you. This guide walks through the four essential documents every new parent needs and the most common mistakes to avoid.
Estate Tax Guide: Who Actually Pays, and How to Plan
Estate tax is widely misunderstood — most Americans will never owe a dollar of federal estate tax, but state-level rules and the looming "sunset" of current exemptions make it worth understanding. This guide explains who actually pays estate tax, how it differs from inheritance tax, and which planning strategies can reduce or eliminate the bill.
Healthcare Proxy vs. Medical Power of Attorney — What's the Difference?
Healthcare proxy and medical power of attorney refer to the same essential document — a legal authorization for someone to make medical decisions on your behalf if you cannot. This guide clarifies the terminology, explains how these documents work alongside a living will and POLST, and explains why your family cannot legally make medical decisions for you without one.
How Much Does a Will Cost? A Complete Price Breakdown
How much does a will cost? Prices range from $0 for DIY online tools to $1,500 or more for an attorney-drafted document, depending on your situation. This guide breaks down every option so you can choose the right approach for your family.
How to Avoid Probate — 6 Proven Strategies
Learn how to avoid probate and transfer your assets to loved ones faster, with less cost and without court involvement. This guide covers six proven strategies — from living trusts to beneficiary designations — and explains which approach makes sense for your situation.
How to Be a Trustee: Duties, Responsibilities, and Pitfalls
Being named a trustee is an honor — and a legal responsibility. Learn what trustees must do, what they must avoid, and how to protect yourself.
How to Be an Executor of an Estate: A Step-by-Step Guide
Understanding your executor of estate duties is essential to settling a loved one's affairs correctly and legally. This guide walks you through every step, from the first days after death through final asset distribution, so you can fulfill the role with confidence.
How to Fund a Trust: The Step Most People Skip
Creating a trust is only half the job. Learn how to transfer your assets into a trust so it actually works — and what happens if you don't.
How to Name a Guardian for Your Children in Your Will
Learn how to choose and legally name a guardian for your minor children, what happens without one, and the key factors courts consider.
How to Update Beneficiaries on Your Financial Accounts
Knowing how to update beneficiaries is one of the most important — and most overlooked — steps in estate planning, because beneficiary designations override your will entirely. This guide explains which accounts have them, when to update them, and the costly mistakes that trip up even well-intentioned families.
How to Write a Will: A Step-by-Step Guide
Learn exactly how to write a legally valid will — what must be included, witness requirements, and common mistakes that invalidate wills.
Joint Tenancy With Right of Survivorship Explained
Joint tenancy automatically transfers property to surviving co-owners when one dies — but it comes with tax, control, and creditor risks worth understanding.
Living Trust vs Will: Which One Do You Actually Need?
A living trust vs will comparison reveals that the two documents serve different purposes and work best together — a will handles what your trust doesn't, and a trust keeps your estate out of probate. Understanding which you need depends on your assets, your family, and your goals.
Navigating Your Role: A Guide for Adult Children Assisting Aging Parents with Finances and Health
Navigate the complexities of supporting your aging parents with confidence! This paper provides adult children with the practical strategies and legal insights needed to have crucial conversations and make informed decisions about their parents' finances and healthcare.
Revocable vs. Irrevocable Trust: Which One Do You Need?
Choosing between a revocable vs. irrevocable trust is one of the most consequential decisions in estate planning, and the right answer depends on your specific goals. This guide breaks down exactly how each type works, what you give up with each, and which situations call for which structure.
Special Needs Trust: What It Is and Why It Matters
A special needs trust is a legal arrangement that allows you to leave money for a loved one with a disability without disqualifying them from Medicaid, SSI, and other government benefits they depend on. This guide explains how special needs trusts work, when you need one, and why getting the structure right requires a specialized attorney.
Step-Up in Basis: How Inherited Assets Reduce Your Tax Bill
The step-up in basis rule resets the cost basis of inherited assets to their value at death, potentially eliminating years of capital gains taxes.
Timing Considerations for Establishing a Revocable Trust in Estate Planning
Ready to take control of your financial future and protect your loved ones? Discover the power of a revocable trust in this essential guide, showing you when and how this versatile tool can safeguard your assets and ensure your wishes are honored.
Transfer-on-Death Deed: Pass Real Estate Without Probate
A transfer-on-death deed lets you name a beneficiary for your home who receives it automatically when you die — without probate, trusts, or joint tenancy risks.
What Happens If You Die Without a Will?
If you die without a will, state law — not your wishes — determines who inherits your assets, who raises your children, and who manages your estate. Understanding intestate succession shows exactly why having a will matters.
What Happens to Debt When You Die?
Your debts don't simply disappear when you die. Learn which debts your estate must pay, which family members are responsible, and how to protect your heirs.
What Is a Beneficiary? A Complete Guide to Beneficiary Designations
Understand what a beneficiary is, the difference between primary and contingent beneficiaries, and why keeping designations updated is critical.
What Is a Power of Attorney? A Complete Guide
A power of attorney is one of the most important documents you can have — it lets someone you trust manage your finances or healthcare if you become incapacitated. This guide explains every type of power of attorney, what an agent can and cannot do, and what happens if you become incapacitated without one.
What Is Probate? How the Process Works and What It Costs
Probate is the court-supervised legal process that validates a will and distributes a deceased person's estate — and it can take months or years and cost thousands of dollars. Here's what every adult should understand about how probate works and when it can be avoided.