Which estate structures should you discuss with an attorney? Ranked by relevance to your situation — this builds your meeting agenda, not your documents.
Not legal advice. This tool ranks structures 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.
Your situationa few basics — results rank instantly, no account, no AI
Close call. Durable POA + healthcare directives and Simple will + guardianship nominations are effectively tied given what we know — the “would sharpen this most” items above could flip them.
1
Durable POA + healthcare directives
Who acts for you while you’re alive but can’t — the universal starting point.
66
Relevance
Possibly relevant — ask about it
Benefit vs. complexity: inexpensive, fast, and nearly every adult should have them regardless of estate size
Fits your household: prevents court-appointed conservatorship if you’re incapacitated
Fits your estate size: relevant at every asset level — incapacity doesn’t check your net worth
Banks sometimes balk at old POAs — refresh every 5–10 years
Sharper with: existing documents
2
Simple will + guardianship nominations
Who gets what, who’s in charge, who raises the kids.
65
Relevance
Possibly relevant — ask about it
Benefit vs. complexity: the lowest-cost foundation; easy to update as life changes
A will alone does not avoid probate
Beneficiary designations override the will — keep them in sync
Sharper with: Household, estate size
3
Beneficiary designations + TOD/POD titling review
The cheapest probate-avoidance move most people never do.
62
Relevance
Possibly relevant — ask about it
Benefit vs. complexity: often free — forms at your bank, brokerage, and county recorder
Naming minors directly as beneficiaries is a classic mistake — courts end up managing the money
Sharper with: existing documents
4
Revocable living trust + pour-over will
Assets pass outside probate; a successor trustee steps in seamlessly.
59
Relevance
Possibly relevant — ask about it
Fits your household: keeps transitions private and out of court for your family
Fits your estate size: earns its cost as assets and property complexity grow
Only works if you actually retitle (fund) assets into it
Higher upfront cost than a will package
Sharper with: state, out-of-state property
5
Testamentary trust for minor children
A trust written inside your will that springs to life only if needed.
53
Relevance
Possibly relevant — ask about it
Benefit vs. complexity: adds protection without a separate trust to maintain now
Created at death through probate — it does not avoid court
The trustee choice matters more than the document language
Sharper with: Household, heir concerns
6
Special needs trust
Provides for a disabled beneficiary without disqualifying their benefits.
31
Relevance
Probably not needed yet
Specialist territory — drafting mistakes can disqualify government benefits
First-party vs. third-party SNT rules differ sharply; bring the details to a specialist
Sharper with: Household
7
Irrevocable life insurance trust (ILIT)
Keeps life-insurance proceeds outside your taxable estate.
27
Relevance
Probably not needed yet
Irrevocable means irrevocable — unwinding is hard and expensive
Requires ongoing administration (Crummey notices) to work as intended
Sharper with: life insurance, estate size
8
Charitable remainder trust
Income for you now, a charitable gift later, and a tax deduction today.
26
Relevance
Probably not needed yet
Irrevocable, with real setup and administration costs
Only makes sense with genuine charitable intent — the tax benefit alone doesn’t pay for it
Sharper with: charitable intent, estate size
9
Spousal lifetime access trust (SLAT)
Uses today’s gift-tax exemption while keeping indirect access via your spouse.
20
Relevance
Probably not needed yet
Divorce or the spouse’s death can cut off your indirect access
Exemption levels change with legislation — timing is a real part of the decision
Sharper with: estate size, Household
Researched context is coming
The relevance ranking above is mechanical and instant. A research layer is planned on top: your state’s probate thresholds, current exemption figures, and your top structures turned into a concrete agenda for a (human) attorney.
My state’s specifics
Probate thresholds, small-estate shortcuts, state estate tax
Build my attorney agenda
Your top structures as questions, with your facts attached
Explain the tradeoffs
Plain-English comparison of your top 3 — cost, control, upkeep
Planned — the instant ranking above never waits on it. Tell us which research you’d want first.
Not legal advice — estate law is state-specific and fact-specific. Every output here is a discussion item for a licensed estate attorney. Runs entirely in your browser; nothing you type is stored on our servers.