A legally binding document that outlines:

• Who inherits your assets—including money, property, and personal belongings.
• Who will take care of your minor children or pets by naming a legal guardian.
• Who will manage your affairs after you pass (your executor).
• Your final arrangements, such as burial or cremation preferences.

Why it matters: Without a Will, state laws decide what happens to your assets and dependents, which may not align with your wishes.

This document allows your chosen representatives to access your medical records and discuss your healthcare with doctors.

• Ensures your family or appointed decision-makers can get critical medical information.
• Complies with federal privacy laws so providers can legally share details about your care.

Why it matters: Without this, even close family members may be denied access to your medical information in an emergency.

A legal document that outlines your medical preferences if you're unable to communicate them yourself. It includes:

• Life-sustaining treatment preferences (e.g., ventilators, feeding tubes).
• Pain management and comfort care choices.
• Religious or personal values regarding end-of-life care.
• Designation of a healthcare agent (someone who makes medical decisions on your behalf).

Why it matters: If you don’t document your preferences, doctors or courts may decide for you, potentially against your wishes.

A Power of Attorney (POA) allows you to appoint someone to manage your financial or legal affairs if you become incapacitated.

• Make financial transactions (pay bills, file taxes, manage investments).
• Handle property and legal matters on your behalf.
• Avoid costly court intervention by pre-selecting a trusted agent.

Why it matters: Without a POA, your family may need court approval to handle your affairs, causing delays and expenses.

It takes most people about 15 minutes to complete their Wills through Trust & Will.

A Trust is the most comprehensive Estate Plan and offers people more control over when and how their assets are distributed. Trusts also allow you to avoid probate court.

A Will lets you nominate guardians for your children and specify your health care preferences, final arrangement wishes, and how you want your assets distributed.

Legally, your Will does not have to be notarized*. However, it will be harder to administer after your death with no notarization.

Most Wills today (including Trust & Will’s) are designed to be “self-proving”. This makes it easier to administer after death. A self-proving Will does require notarization.

*Unless you live in Louisiana, in which case you are legally required to have your Will notarized.

While it is not necessary to get an attorney to create a legally-valid Will, we do offer our members optional attorney support for an additional fee when you create your Will through Trust & Will.

When you add attorney support to your Will-Based Estate Plan, you have unlimited access to an estate planning attorney. They can provide you with legal advice, discuss any tax consequences associated with your decisions, and review your documents line-by-line.

We suggest that individuals review and/or update their Wills after any life milestone or every three to five years. Milestones can include: marriage or remarriage, the purchase of a home, the birth of your first child and subsequent children, the first time you travel without your children, and any deaths in the family.

Updating your Will is easy and you certainly do not need an attorney to make changes to your Will. There are three ways to go about updating your Will: create a codicil, write a brand new Will, or make a personal property memorandum.

Learn more here.

Yes, you can create a Will for someone else. Whether it’s for your spouse, child, or a loved one with dementia, Trust & Will makes the process easy. Keep in mind however, that the person for whom the Will is created (known as the Testator) will need to review and approve the document in order for it to be valid.

Learn more here.

If you pass away without a Will, it’s known as dying intestate. Intestacy laws vary from state to state but typically, the court will decide how your assets and debts will be distributed. Prioritizing your Estate Planning is the best way to ensure that your wishes will be properly executed.

Learn more here.

No. A will must go through probate to validate its instructions and distribute assets. Assets not titled jointly, payable-on-death, or included in a trust are subject to probate.

Yes. Payment plans are available for both Will and Trust-Based Estate Plans. Complete your documents and make 4 equal, interest-free payments.