When you're ready, this won't take long.
Your estate plan was built for two. Updating it for your life now takes about 20 minutes.
Why estate planning matters after losing a spouse
What happens next depends on what your spouse had in place.
If your spouse had a will, you may be facing probate — court filings, executor responsibilities, retitling assets one by one. That process takes months.
If you shared a trust, the hard part is already done. Assets passed automatically. Your only job now is updating your own plan: naming a new trustee, a new healthcare proxy, new beneficiaries.
Either way, your documents were built for two. When you're ready, we can help you rebuild them for one.
What you need to know
1
Settling your spouse's estate
If your spouse had a will, you may need to navigate probate and fulfill executor duties. If you shared a trust, assets passed automatically — no court involved.
2
Claiming survivor benefits
Social Security survivor benefits, pension options, life insurance payouts, and retirement account distributions each have their own timelines and paperwork.
3
Updating your own plan
Your trust, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives named your spouse in key roles. Those need someone new.
4
Retitling assets
Property or accounts titled jointly or in your spouse's name alone may need to be retitled into your name or your trust.
5
Tax considerations
Your filing status changes. The year of death and the years following have different rules — a tax professional can help you avoid surprises.
6
Long-term planning
Your future needs may look different now. Living arrangements, healthcare, long-term care — your plan should reflect what's ahead.
Your loss of a spouse checklist
Order certified death certificates — how many do you need?
Notify Social Security and claim survivor benefits
Notify life insurance companies and file claims
Notify banks, investment accounts, and retirement plan administrators
Use our Estate Settlement Checklist for step-by-step guidance
If your spouse had a will: estimate probate costs
Retitle jointly-held assets into your name or trust
Update beneficiaries on your retirement accounts and life insurance
Create a Healthcare Power of Attorney and Financial Power of Attorney
Frequently Asked Questions
There's no deadline. Most people wait a few months before addressing their own documents — that's fine. The exception: if you have health concerns or upcoming travel, updating your powers of attorney and healthcare directive sooner ensures someone has authority to act on your behalf.
A will goes through probate — a court-supervised process that can take six months to a year, requires legal filings, and becomes public record. A trust passes assets directly to beneficiaries with no court involvement. If you shared a trust with your spouse, most of the work is already done.
Not immediately, but don't leave it indefinitely. Jointly-held accounts often pass automatically to the surviving owner, but you'll still need to update the title. Assets in your spouse's name alone may require probate or a trust administration process before they're fully yours. Start with accounts you actively use.
As a surviving spouse, you have options most other beneficiaries don't. You can roll an inherited IRA or 401(k) into your own retirement account and treat it as yours — no required distributions until your own RMD age. Alternatively, you can keep it as an inherited account. A financial advisor can help you decide which makes sense for your tax situation.
Start with a list: bank accounts, credit cards, investment accounts, retirement accounts, insurance policies, recurring bills. Check your spouse's email and mail for statements. Your spouse's financial advisor, accountant, or attorney may have records. You don't have to figure it all out at once — just get visibility into what exists.
Free tools to help
Documents and calculators to guide you through the process.
How Many Death Certificates Do I Need?
Calculate how many certified death certificates you need based on the assets and accounts you need to close. See state-specific ordering information.
Use Calculator
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Get a personalized checklist for settling an estate after someone passes away. Covers trust administration, probate, and intestate estates.
Get Checklist
How Much Does Probate Cost?
Estimate attorney fees, executor fees, court costs, and timeline for probating an estate in your state. See if the estate qualifies for simplified probate procedures.
Use Calculator
How Much Are Estate & Inheritance Taxes?
Calculate federal estate tax, state estate tax (12 states + DC), and inheritance tax (5 states) for an estate or trust.
Use Calculator
As life happens, SimplyTrust
New Baby or Adoption
Your family is growing. Your protection should too. Guardian nominations, trusts for minors, beneficiary updates, and the documents new parents need in place.
Marriage
Starting a life together means planning for it. Beneficiary updates, asset titling, powers of attorney, and what blended families need to know.
Divorce
Your life is changing. Your documents should too. Beneficiary updates, trust replacement, POA revocations, and the steps to protect your independent future.
New Home
Your home is probably your biggest asset. Protect it like one. Property titling, trust ownership, and how to keep your home out of probate.
Inheritance
Inheriting assets brings responsibility. How to manage, protect, and plan for inherited wealth — including tax implications and trust options.
Retirement
Retirement changes your financial picture. Healthcare directives, beneficiary reviews, long-term care planning, and protecting what you've built.
Serious Diagnosis
A serious diagnosis changes priorities. Healthcare proxies, financial powers of attorney, and the documents that ensure your wishes are honored.
Moving to a New State
State laws vary significantly for wills, trusts, and powers of attorney. What to review after relocating to make sure your estate plan still works.
Death of a Parent
Losing a parent is overwhelming. What needs to happen next — settling the estate, navigating probate, and the steps to move forward.
Named as Executor
Being named executor means navigating probate, managing assets, and distributing the estate. What's expected, what you can charge, and how to start.
Named as Trustee
Being named trustee means managing trust assets and carrying out the grantor's wishes. Your duties, timeline, compensation, and how to get started.