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Revocable Living TrustCreate a revocable living trust to avoid probate, protect privacy, and control asset distribution.Last Will and TestamentName your heirs, guardians, and final wishes. Free for every state.Pour-Over WillCatch anything outside your trust. Pairs with your revocable trust.Healthcare Power of AttorneyName someone to make medical decisions if you can't.Financial Power of AttorneyName someone to manage your finances if you can't.Transfer on Death DeedTransfer real property to a beneficiary upon your death without probate. Available in 34 states and the District of Columbia.Vehicle Transfer on DeathName a beneficiary to inherit your vehicle at death without probate. Available in 26 states and the District of Columbia.Living WillState in advance which life-sustaining treatments you want or refuse, in the document your state recognizes, with signing instructions from the statute.
EIN ApplicationGet the tax ID number (EIN) banks require to open an estate account or trust account after someone dies.Petition for Probate and LettersOpen probate and ask the court to appoint you and issue Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.Notice to CreditorsNotify estate creditors and start the claim period — the published notice plus mailed copies for known creditors.Renunciation of ExecutorDecline an appointment as executor named in a will — the writing filed with the court before anyone is appointed.Affidavit of HeirshipPrepare the sworn statement of a deceased person's family history and heirs for recording in the county land records, with your state's recording instructions.Small Estate AffidavitCollect a small estate's property without probate — the sworn affidavit presented to banks and other holders, with a presentation letter for each.Estate InventoryPrepare the probate inventory of estate property — every asset at its date-of-death value, with your state's filing or delivery instructions.Estate ClosingPrepare the paperwork that closes the estate — the state's closing instrument with its closing instructions, and the optional federal forms.Letter of InstructionPrepare the letter a bank or insurer requests during estate settlement, addressed to its claims department.Digital Assets Recovery LetterPrepare a letter requesting a deceased person's online accounts, points, and balances from the program that holds them.
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Estate Planning Cost CalculatorCompare costs across estate planning providers including online services and attorneys.Revocable Living Trust Cost CalculatorCompare revocable living trust costs across providers including online services and attorneys.Will Cost CalculatorCompare will costs across providers plus probate costs your heirs will pay.Life Insurance CalculatorCalculate your life insurance needs based on income, debts, and family situation.Beneficiary Designation CheckerCheck how divorce, creditors, and state laws affect your beneficiary designations.State Estate Law GuideSee probate costs, will requirements, trust rules, and intestacy laws for your state.Estate Planning Service ComparisonCompare what it costs to make a trust official across SimplyTrust, LegalZoom, Trust & Will, Rocket Lawyer, and Quicken WillMaker, and when your documents are actually done.Name a Guardian GuideSee how a parent names a guardian for their minor children, what weight the court gives your choice, and your options for temporary care.Burial & Cremation Law GuideSee who controls final arrangements, cremation and burial rules, and what your state allows.Signing Requirements CheckerFind witness, notary, and remote signing requirements for all 50 states.Document Portability CheckerCheck if estate planning documents signed in one state are valid in another.Trust Need AssessmentFind out if a revocable trust makes sense based on your state, estate value, and family situation.TOD Deed AssessmentFind out if a transfer on death deed can keep your property out of probate.Vehicle TOD AssessmentFind out if you can name a beneficiary on your vehicle title to skip probate.Trust Account Opening GuideCompare trust-account requirements bank by bank: how a revocable trust account is opened or retitled, what proves the trust, and what the successor trustee faces.Trust or Will Decision ToolCompare the cost of probate vs a trust for your state and estate value.
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Who Inherits CalculatorFind out who inherits your estate and how much they get if you die without a will.Estate & Inheritance Tax CalculatorCalculate federal estate tax, state estate tax, and inheritance tax for an estate.Inheritance Tax GuideInheritance tax by state, federal tax on inheritance, and timeline estimates for receiving money, property, or retirement assets.Step-Up Basis CalculatorCalculate the new cost basis on inherited assets under IRC § 1014 and project capital gains tax savings.Inherited IRA Withdrawal RulesSee which federal withdrawal rules apply to an inherited IRA, Roth IRA, or employer plan, the deadline year, and the tax for a missed withdrawal.Post-Death Tax Filing GuideFind out which tax returns need to be filed after someone dies and whether tax clearance is required.
Someone I love died
Death Certificate CalculatorCalculate how many certified death certificates you need and see ordering info for your state.Probate Decision ToolFind out if an estate needs probate or qualifies for simplified procedures.Estate Settlement PlanPersonalized plan for settling an estate after someone passes away.What to Do When Someone Dies ChecklistA step-by-step checklist for the days, weeks, and months after a death, with state rules noted where they apply.
I'm an executor
Probate Cost CalculatorEstimate attorney fees, executor fees, court costs, and timeline for probating an estate.Executor Fee CalculatorCalculate how much an executor can charge for administering an estate.Self-File Probate AssessmentFind out if you can handle probate yourself with estimated cost savings and a filing checklist.Executor Appointment GuideSee the court, petition, bond, and documents needed to be appointed and receive your Letters.Creditor Claims DeadlinesFind creditor claim deadlines, notice requirements, and payment priority order for your state.Insolvent Estate CalculatorSee the order your state pays an insolvent estate's debts and which claims go unpaid.Estate Account Opening GuideCompare estate-account opening requirements bank by bank: channels, required documents, and steps.Personal Property Value EstimatorEstimate the fair market value of household items for probate and see how it affects fees.
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Trustee Compensation CalculatorFind out what fair compensation looks like for serving as trustee.Trust Settlement PlanPersonalized plan for settling a trust after the grantor passes away.
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Who Inherits CalculatorFind out who inherits your estate and how much they get if you die without a will.Estate & Inheritance Tax CalculatorCalculate federal estate tax, state estate tax, and inheritance tax for an estate.Inheritance Tax GuideInheritance tax by state, federal tax on inheritance, and timeline estimates for receiving money, property, or retirement assets.Step-Up Basis CalculatorCalculate the new cost basis on inherited assets under IRC § 1014 and project capital gains tax savings.Inherited IRA Withdrawal RulesSee which federal withdrawal rules apply to an inherited IRA, Roth IRA, or employer plan, the deadline year, and the tax for a missed withdrawal.Post-Death Tax Filing GuideFind out which tax returns need to be filed after someone dies and whether tax clearance is required.
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Home→News→Beneficiary and Inheritance News

Beneficiary and Inheritance News

News on inheritance: beneficiary designation and survivorship rulings, intestacy changes, inheritance disputes, and the transfer of wealth between generations.

All topics911Probate and estate administration389Estate, inheritance, and gift taxes278Trusts114Wills36Powers of attorney and incapacity97Beneficiaries and inheritance349Medicaid and long-term care38Digital assets14
All statesAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDistrict of ColumbiaDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
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349 news posts

Forward Inheritance Tackles $84 Trillion Wealth Transfer Crisis

Forward Inheritance Tackles $84 Trillion Wealth Transfer Crisis

Forward Inheritance CEO discusses how traditional inheritance timing fails families, with wealth arriving in their 60s rather than wealth-building 30s.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialJune 2, 2026
$124 Trillion Wealth Transfer Reshapes Estate Planning

$124 Trillion Wealth Transfer Reshapes Estate Planning

New research reveals 70% of heirs drop family advisors during the $124 trillion wealth transfer by 2048, fundamentally changing estate planning relationships.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialJune 2, 2026
Missouri Intestacy Laws: Who Inherits Without a Will in 2026

Missouri Intestacy Laws: Who Inherits Without a Will in 2026

Missouri's intestacy laws create rigid inheritance rules that often don't reflect modern families' wishes, with complex formulas for spouse and children shares.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialMay 25, 2026
Wisconsin Trust Strategies Shield Inheritances from Divorce Claims

Wisconsin Trust Strategies Shield Inheritances from Divorce Claims

Wisconsin families can protect inheritances from divorce and creditors through strategic trust planning that prevents asset commingling.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialMay 25, 2026
NJ Families Risk Losing SSI and Medicaid Benefits Through Inheritance

NJ Families Risk Losing SSI and Medicaid Benefits Through Inheritance

New Jersey families risk losing SSI and Medicaid benefits when disabled children receive direct inheritances, even modest amounts over $2,000 trigger…
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialMay 24, 2026
Indian Succession Law Changes: What US Families Can Learn

Indian Succession Law Changes: What US Families Can Learn

India's 2025 inheritance law reforms make probate voluntary, but families still face months-long asset transfer delays and digital asset challenges.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialMay 24, 2026
Texas Court Rules Incomplete Beneficiary Form Valid Despite Missing Details

Texas Court Rules Incomplete Beneficiary Form Valid Despite Missing Details

Federal appeals court rules incomplete beneficiary form valid despite missing checkboxes, establishing precedent for intent over technical perfection in estate…
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialMay 24, 2026
Personal Property Memorandums Simplify Estate Asset Distribution

Personal Property Memorandums Simplify Estate Asset Distribution

Personal property memorandums offer flexible estate planning solutions for distributing meaningful belongings without formal document amendments.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialMay 4, 2026
Understanding the Three Key Roles in Family Trusts

Understanding the Three Key Roles in Family Trusts

Estate planning attorney explains how every family trust operates through three key roles: trustor (creator), trustee (manager), and beneficiaries (inheritors).
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialMay 3, 2026
Average Inheritances Double to $1 Million as Wealth Transfer Accelerates

Average Inheritances Double to $1 Million as Wealth Transfer Accelerates

New research shows average inheritances will double to $1 million over the next decade as families navigate increasingly complex asset transfers.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialMay 3, 2026
When Beneficiaries Should Serve as Executors or Trustees

When Beneficiaries Should Serve as Executors or Trustees

Washington families can name beneficiaries as executors or trustees, but clear estate planning and transparency help prevent conflicts during administration.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialApril 28, 2026
Arkansas Heirs Fight Probate Exclusion with Legal Remedies

Arkansas Heirs Fight Probate Exclusion with Legal Remedies

Arkansas heirs facing probate exclusion have legal remedies but must act quickly before court deadlines expire, according to new guidance from estate attorneys.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialApril 24, 2026
Hawaii Tax Season Reveals Critical Estate Planning Gap

Hawaii Tax Season Reveals Critical Estate Planning Gap

Hawaii families complete tax prep with full financial pictures but miss critical estate planning updates, creating hidden vulnerabilities in high-stakes…
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialApril 23, 2026
IRA Beneficiary Rules: 6 Key Questions for Proper Distribution

IRA Beneficiary Rules: 6 Key Questions for Proper Distribution

New guidance clarifies six essential questions for determining IRA beneficiary payout structures under SECURE Act rules affecting retirement planning.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialApril 22, 2026
Wisconsin Estate Planning Reduces Inheritance Burdens and Delays

Wisconsin Estate Planning Reduces Inheritance Burdens and Delays

Wisconsin estate planning can eliminate inheritance delays and reduce administrative burdens through strategic use of trusts and proper documentation.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialApril 15, 2026
Estate Planning Delays Can Cost Families Everything

Estate Planning Delays Can Cost Families Everything

Michigan attorney shares how a woman who inherited smoothly from her parents' well-planned estate left her own family facing avoidable probate delays.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialApril 15, 2026
How Beneficiary Designations Override Wills in Maryland

How Beneficiary Designations Override Wills in Maryland

Beneficiary designations on retirement accounts and life insurance override wills, creating unintended consequences when estate planning documents aren’t…
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialApril 14, 2026
How to Keep Your Missouri Estate Plan Current and Effective

How to Keep Your Missouri Estate Plan Current and Effective

Missouri families risk costly probate delays when estate plans become outdated, particularly with conflicting beneficiary designations that override trust…
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialApril 9, 2026
Texas Beneficiary Rights: What You Need to Know in 2026

Texas Beneficiary Rights: What You Need to Know in 2026

Texas beneficiaries have enforceable rights to information, fair treatment, and timely distributions under state law, with specific protections varying by…
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialApril 9, 2026
Retirement Account Inheritance Rights for Surviving Spouses

Retirement Account Inheritance Rights for Surviving Spouses

401(k) plans provide automatic spousal inheritance protection under ERISA, but IRAs rely entirely on beneficiary forms – creating major gaps when accounts roll…
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialApril 9, 2026
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