Guides
Estate planning, plainly explained.
What happens without a will. How probate works. Wills vs. trusts. When to update. Powers of attorney. Digital assets. Everything you need to understand before and after making your estate plan.
Will.com is not a law firm and does not give legal advice. Its documents and information are not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Consult a licensed attorney in your state for guidance specific to your situation.
What Happens If You Die Without a Will?
Dying without a will (called dying 'intestate') means your state decides who gets your assets, who raises your children, and who handles your estate. Here's what that looks like in practice.
5 min read
Will vs. Trust: How They Differ
A will and a trust both transfer assets after death, but they work differently and serve different purposes. Here's how each one works and where they differ.
6 min read
What Is Probate, and How Do You Avoid It?
Probate is the court process that validates your will and supervises the transfer of your assets. It's not always as bad as people think, but there are legitimate reasons to plan around it.
5 min read
How to Choose an Executor for Your Will
Your executor handles everything after you die: collecting assets, paying debts, filing taxes, and distributing your estate. Choosing the right person matters more than most people realize.
5 min read
How to Choose a Guardian for Your Children
If both parents die, who raises your children? Naming a guardian in your will is the single most important decision parents can make in estate planning, and one of the hardest to think through.
5 min read
When Should You Update Your Will?
A will you made five years ago may no longer reflect your life. Here are the life events that should trigger a review, and a few that people miss.
4 min read
What Is a Power of Attorney?
A power of attorney lets someone you trust make financial or medical decisions for you if you can't. It's one of the most important documents in any estate plan, and one of the most overlooked.
5 min read
How to Protect Your Digital Assets
Email accounts, photos, cryptocurrency, domain names, and social profiles don't pass through a will the way physical property does. Here's how to plan for them.
5 min read
What Is Community Property?
If you live in one of the nine community property states, the rules for who owns what, and who can give what away, are different. Here's what you need to know before making your will.
4 min read
Do I Need a Lawyer to Make a Will?
No U.S. state requires an attorney for a will to be valid. Here's what the law requires, what an attorney does, and the situations in which people commonly hire one.
4 min read
What Is Remote Online Notarization?
Remote online notarization (RON) lets you notarize documents over a video call instead of visiting a notary in person. Here's how it works, what ROW means, and how it applies to estate planning documents.
5 min read
What Is a Living Trust?
A living trust holds your assets during your lifetime and transfers them to your beneficiaries when you die, without going through probate. Here's how it works and when people commonly use one.
6 min read
How to Sign and Store Your Estate Plan
Creating your documents is the first step. Signing them correctly is what gives them legal effect, and storing them safely is how your family finds them. Here's how to do both.
5 min read
What Is a Self-Proving Affidavit?
A self-proving affidavit is a sworn statement attached to your will that lets the probate court accept the will without your witnesses' testimony. Here's what it does, how it works, and why people get one where it is optional.
4 min read
Estate Planning for Unmarried Couples
If you're not married, the law in most states gives your partner no inheritance, no medical decision-making, and no financial authority by default. Here's how a will, a healthcare directive, and a power of attorney let partners name each other.
5 min read
What Is a Living Will?
A living will records your wishes about medical treatment if you can't speak for yourself. It's not a will for your assets. Here's what it covers, how it differs from a healthcare proxy, and how the two work together.
4 min read
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