Will, living trust, or something more? This tool ranks the estate-planning structures worth discussing with a licensed attorney — durable powers of attorney and healthcare directives, simple wills with guardianship nominations, revocable living trusts, testamentary and special needs trusts, beneficiary and transfer-on-death titling, and the more specialized tools like ILITs, SLATs, and charitable remainder trusts — against your goals, family, estate size, and concerns. It builds your meeting agenda, not your documents.
You describe your situation in plain language — what you want your plan to do, who it provides for, roughly what you own, and what keeps you up at night — and each structure is scored by relevance and grouped into "likely worth discussing," "possibly relevant," and "probably not needed yet." Every card explains what the structure does, when it makes sense, its trade-offs, and specific questions to bring. It can't tell you what to set up, and estate law varies significantly by state — it's a starting point for a conversation with a qualified estate attorney, not a substitute for one.
What you can do
- Ranks structures by relevance to your situation
- Covers wills, trusts, POAs, and beneficiary titling
- Plain-English trade-offs for each structure
- Specific questions to bring to your attorney
- Flags what's probably not needed yet
Frequently asked questions
Is this legal advice?
No. This tool is educational only and does not provide legal advice. It ranks structures that may be worth discussing with a licensed estate attorney in your state — it cannot tell you what to set up, and estate law varies significantly by state. Use it to prepare for a conversation with a qualified attorney, not in place of one.
Do I need a trust, or is a will enough?
It depends on your goals, estate size, family, and state — which is exactly what this tool helps you think through. A simple will covers who inherits and who raises minor children but still goes through probate, while a revocable living trust can pass funded assets outside probate. The relevance ranking is a starting point; a qualified estate attorney can weigh the specifics for your situation.
How are the structures ranked?
Each structure is scored for relevance to the situation you describe — your stated goals, estate size, household, and the benefit versus its complexity — then grouped into likely worth discussing, possibly relevant, and probably not needed yet. The ranking reflects fit, not a recommendation, and shouldn't be read as a legal conclusion about what you should do.
Does this replace hiring an estate attorney?
No. It builds your meeting agenda, not your documents. Drafting valid estate documents, and knowing which structures actually fit your state's law and your family, is work for a licensed estate attorney. This tool helps you arrive prepared with the right questions.
Why does my state matter so much?
Estate law varies significantly by state — probate can be slow and costly in some states and simple in others, and some structures (like a lady bird deed) are only recognized in a handful of states. Because of that, the tool can only surface structures worth asking about; a qualified estate attorney licensed in your state is the one who can confirm what applies to you.
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