A simple will, a trust, or an attorney: which type of estate plan actually fits you?
We help you work out whether a simple online will, an online will with a trust, or an attorney-drafted plan matches your actual situation in the United States — before you spend money on the wrong tier. We are not a law firm and nothing here is legal advice.
What does your situation actually look like?
Six routes into the same decision
Pick the one that matches what you're actually trying to figure out right now.
What does a will actually cover?
What it does, what it doesn't, and why guardianship matters most.
Read what a will does →Do I need a trust too?
When a living trust meaningfully avoids probate, and when it doesn't matter.
Compare will vs trust →What about if I'm incapacitated, not gone?
Power of attorney and healthcare directives — the parts people skip.
Understand these documents →What if I do nothing?
State intestacy rules, in general terms, if you have no plan at all.
See what happens without one →Is DIY actually fine for me?
When online tools are genuinely enough, and when they're not.
Check if DIY fits →What will this actually cost?
Typical ranges for online will, will+trust, and attorney-drafted paths.
See typical costs →Two tools to prepare, not to guess
Check what you have ready and see how the typical cost of each path actually compares.
Readiness checklist
Check what you already have in place before you start comparing an online will, a trust package, or an attorney.
Assumptions this uses
- Readiness is self-reported — this checklist does not verify any document or figure
- A checked item means you believe it's true, not that it has been professionally confirmed
- This is a preparation aid, not a substitute for legal review of your actual documents
Limitations: This does not tell you whether your specific situation needs an attorney, and it does not check any document for legal validity — it only reflects whether you feel prepared to have that conversation.
Runs entirely in your browser.
A will and a trust answer different questions
A will says who gets what and who raises your kids, and it only takes effect after you die, through probate. A living trust can hold property while you're alive and pass it to beneficiaries without probate, but only for whatever you actually retitled into it. Most people who think they need 'a trust' actually need a will first — the trust question comes after.
Ask about which type of estate plan fits you
A free assistant that helps you figure out whether a simple will, a will-plus-trust package, or an attorney is the right starting point.
Tell us what you're trying to sort out
This isn't a legal engagement — it's a way to get pointed at the right guide, tool, or resource for your situation.
Nothing here commits you to anything, and we don't draft documents or provide legal advice ourselves.
Partner link — we may be paid a fee at no cost to you. How we make money.
See an online estate planning path built for your situation
If you already know a simple will or a will-plus-trust package fits, an online platform can walk you through it directly.
See online options →Physical tools for the paperwork side of this
Estate planning generates paperwork whichever path you take. These are the kinds of items that make it easier to organize — not something the process requires.
How we make money: some links here are partner or affiliate links and we may be paid a fee at no cost to you. It never changes what we write or how options are ordered — see our disclosure and methodology.
The Estate Plan Fit Checklist
Work through your situation, your assets, and your key decisions before you compare an online will, a trust package, or an attorney. Fill it in once, and use it for whichever conversation comes next.
Where to start building your actual documents
These are the platforms and services we point to once someone has worked out which type of plan fits — not a ranking, just where to start.
How we make money: some links here are partner or affiliate links and we may be paid a fee at no cost to you. It never changes what we write or how options are ordered — see our disclosure and methodology.
Trust & Will — online will and trust platform
A direct online platform for building a simple will or a will-plus-trust package, built around US state requirements.
See Trust & Will →Estate planning questions, answered plainly
No hedging, no upsell — where the honest answer is 'it depends', we say exactly what it depends on.
Do I need a will if I don't own much?
Usually yes, especially if you have minor children — a will is the document that names a guardian for them, which has nothing to do with how much property you own. Even a modest estate benefits from a will simply so someone you chose, not a state formula, decides who gets what.
What's the actual difference between a will and a living trust?
A will only takes effect after you die and goes through probate, a court process. A living trust can hold property while you're alive and pass it to beneficiaries without probate, but only for assets you've actually retitled into the trust's name. Many people need a will regardless of whether they also set up a trust.
Is an online will legally valid?
Generally yes, if it's properly signed and witnessed according to your state's rules — the platform doesn't make it valid or invalid, your state's execution requirements do. Read the signing instructions carefully, because an unwitnessed or improperly signed will can be challenged even if the content was fine.
When do I actually need an estate planning attorney instead of an online tool?
Business ownership, blended families, a special-needs dependent, high-value or complex estates, or state-specific issues an online form can't handle are the usual triggers. If none of those apply and your goals are straightforward, an online will or will-plus-trust package is often genuinely enough.
What happens if I die without any estate plan?
Your state's intestacy laws decide who inherits, usually a fixed formula favoring a spouse and children, and a court decides who raises your minor children if no guardian was named. It's rarely identical to what someone would have chosen for themselves, which is why even a simple will changes the outcome.
What is power of attorney and do I need one?
A power of attorney lets someone you choose make financial or legal decisions for you if you become unable to. It has nothing to do with what happens after you die — it only matters while you're alive but incapacitated, and most people who focus only on a will skip this document entirely.