I already have a will. Is that enough?

Usually not on its own. A will still goes through probate, and it does not control your retirement accounts or your life insurance, which pass by beneficiary form instead. A will also does nothing while you are alive, which is what the powers of attorney and the healthcare directive are for.

One fee, paid once, for the whole package. There is no subscription. Going back in later to edit the documents, or to redo them completely after a marriage, a birth or a move, is included and does not cost you again.

Do I need a trust, or is a will enough?

A will is fine for some families. A living trust earns its place when you want to stay out of probate, when you own property in more than one state, or when you want a young beneficiary to receive money gradually rather than all at once at eighteen.

My child has special needs. Can you help?

Yes. A special needs trust is part of what you can set up here. It matters because leaving money to a child on disability benefits the ordinary way can disqualify them from those benefits, and a properly written trust is how families avoid that.

Are the documents legally valid?

Yes, once they are signed properly. The forms are written for your state and come with instructions covering signing, witnesses and notarization. That step is where people stop, and a document that was never signed the way your state requires is only a draft.

How often should I check my beneficiary forms?

Every few years, and straight away after a marriage, divorce, birth or death in the family. It takes minutes, and it is where I find something badly out of date more often than anywhere else.

Pass it on

Wills, trusts and the documents that keep your family out of probate

The plan in your head is not a document anyone can act on.

Most families know they need a will and never get one written. You can have the whole set prepared here, through an online platform, for a single one-time fee: a will, a living trust, powers of attorney, a healthcare directive, and a special needs trust if your family needs one. Editing or redoing them later is always included.

I am not an attorney, and this is not legal advice. The documents are prepared through an online legal platform, using forms written for your state. Some complex situations may need a lawyer instead, for instance complicated business and property partnerships, or complicated marriage situations. I will tell you if yours is one of them.

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What is in the package

A will, which says who gets what and who raises your children. A living trust, which is the piece that keeps your estate out of probate. A financial power of attorney, so someone can pay your bills if you cannot. A healthcare directive, which says what you want done and who speaks for you. A HIPAA form, so the hospital is allowed to talk to your family. And a special needs trust, if a child or grandchild receives disability benefits. Leaving money to them the ordinary way can cost them those benefits. All of it is written for the state you live in, with instructions for signing.

One fee, no subscriptions

You pay once for the package, and there is no charge to come back. That matters, because these documents go out of date. A marriage, a divorce, a new baby, a death, a house bought or sold, a move to another state. Most people never fix any of it, usually because fixing it costs money and means another appointment. Here you log back in and change it, as many times as you need.

The form that beats your will

Your 401(k), your IRA and your life insurance do not pass under your will. They go to whoever is named on the beneficiary form, and that name wins no matter what the will says. It is the most common mistake I find, and it is usually a form filled out at a job someone left years ago. Checking those forms against your new documents is part of this, not a separate job. It is also the part a platform on its own cannot do.

Why probate is worth avoiding

Probate is the court process that moves what you owned to the people you left it to. It is public, it can run months, and it costs money along the way. A living trust is what moves the bulk of an estate around it. Life insurance helps here too. It pays quickly and outside probate, so the first bills get paid without anyone selling a house in a hurry.

Common questions about estate planning

I already have a will. Is that enough?: Usually not on its own. A will still goes through probate, and it does not control your retirement accounts or your life insurance, which pass by beneficiary form instead. A will also does nothing while you are alive, which is what the powers of attorney and the healthcare directive are for.
What does it cost?: One fee, paid once, for the whole package. There is no subscription. Going back in later to edit the documents, or to redo them completely after a marriage, a birth or a move, is included and does not cost you again.
Do I need a trust, or is a will enough?: A will is fine for some families. A living trust earns its place when you want to stay out of probate, when you own property in more than one state, or when you want a young beneficiary to receive money gradually rather than all at once at eighteen.
My child has special needs. Can you help?: Yes. A special needs trust is part of what you can set up here. It matters because leaving money to a child on disability benefits the ordinary way can disqualify them from those benefits, and a properly written trust is how families avoid that.
Are the documents legally valid?: Yes, once they are signed properly. The forms are written for your state and come with instructions covering signing, witnesses and notarization. That step is where people stop, and a document that was never signed the way your state requires is only a draft.
How often should I check my beneficiary forms?: Every few years, and straight away after a marriage, divorce, birth or death in the family. It takes minutes, and it is where I find something badly out of date more often than anywhere else.

Often looked at alongside this

Life InsuranceIf someone depends on your paycheck, life insurance is the plan, not an optional extra.Retirement IncomeA retirement account is a pile of money. A pension is an income.

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