Download the full report here.
Estate planning in 2025 is undergoing a profound transformation. No longer confined to legal documents and financial wealth, estate planning has become a reflection of evolving cultural values, technological advancements, and shifting economic realities. As younger generations redefine legacy, financial uncertainty reshapes long-term planning, and AI enters the conversation, Americans are navigating estate planning in entirely new ways.
This year’s Trust & Will 2025 Estate Planning Report—our most comprehensive study to date—uncovers striking trends that challenge traditional assumptions. With 10,000 respondents, we explore how estate planning intersects with financial anxiety, personal values, and even digital identity.
Key Findings:
83% of Americans recognize the importance of estate planning—yet only 31% have a will. Despite widespread awareness, the majority of Americans remain unprepared, with procrastination and misconceptions about wealth fueling inaction.
The American Dream is shifting—almost 60% of Americans don’t believe in its most traditional pillar: economic opportunity. While hard work and financial mobility once defined success, younger generations increasingly prioritize personal fulfillment, social impact, and even digital legacy over traditional wealth accumulation.
Estate planning is no longer just about people—62% of Americans believe pets should be treated with the same level of importance as humans in estate plans. Younger generations lead this shift, with 69% of Gen Z believing pet care should be formally documented.
A growing number of Americans are choosing non-family members as their executors, trustees, and guardians. Nearly 1 in 4 Millennials and Gen Z respondents prefer trusted friends or professionals over relatives, reflecting evolving views on family, trust, and responsibility.
AI’s role in estate planning is gaining momentum—20% of Americans already trust AI-generated legal advice more than human attorneys, and 34% trust it the same. Wealthier and younger Americans are leading the charge in adopting AI-driven tools for financial and legacy planning.
Financial anxiety is at an all-time high—49% of Americans are more concerned about their financial future than they were last year. Surprisingly, this concern is highest not just among lower-income individuals but also among those earning between $500K–$1M, suggesting that wealth does not eliminate uncertainty.
Inflation has reshaped long-term planning—78% of Americans say it has made achieving their life goals harder. From homeownership to retirement, rising costs are forcing Americans to rethink their financial futures.
Nearly 1 in 5 Americans (19%) believe they won’t leave anything meaningful behind when they die. This sense of legacy uncertainty is twice as common among lower-income and less-educated individuals, highlighting deep disparities in wealth-building and estate planning access. This underscores the need to reshape estate planning—helping all Americans realize that legacy is about more than just wealth.
At its core, estate planning is about preparing for the future and protecting what matters most. However, the future looks different for every generation. Whether it’s digital legacies, financial security, or safeguarding loved ones—Americans are expanding their definition of estate planning, ensuring that their legacy is about more than just money.
This report reveals not just the numbers but the stories behind them—illuminating the challenges, motivations, and priorities shaping how Americans plan for what comes next.
A Deeper Dive: Breaking Down The Data by Race, Gender, Income, and More
Estate planning is deeply personal, but it is also shaped by larger societal and financial trends. In this report, we break down the data across key demographics—including generation, household income, race, political affiliation, gender, geographic location, education level, and child status—to uncover who is planning for the future, what is motivating them, and what is holding them back. Explore the full findings below to understand the complexities of estate planning in 2025.
The estate planning confidence gap: Do Americans truly understand it?
Motivations for estate planning: What drives people to create a plan?
Choosing an executor or trustee: Who do Americans trust to manage their estates?
Beyond financial assets: What do Americans expect to leave behind?
Financial Anxiety and the cost of living crisis: How does it affect estate planning?
Conclusion: Estate Planning in a Changing America
As this report reveals, estate planning in 2025 is no longer just about wills, wealth, and inheritance—it is about legacy, financial security, and evolving societal values. The way Americans think about who they trust, what they value, and what they leave behind is rapidly shifting, reflecting economic realities, technological advancements, and generational differences.
Despite widespread recognition of estate planning’s importance, significant gaps in preparedness and access remain. Financial anxiety is rising, the traditional American Dream is being redefined, and people are looking for new ways to ensure their legacy—whether through AI, digital assets, or pet care provisions.
While some of these trends present challenges—like growing financial insecurity and procrastination—others provide a path forward. Estate planning is becoming more inclusive, more personalized, and more reflective of modern values. The challenge now is bridging the gap between awareness and action, ensuring that estate planning is accessible and meaningful for all Americans, not just the wealthy.
As we look ahead, one thing is clear: Estate planning is evolving, and the industry must evolve with it—meeting people where they are, adapting to their changing priorities, and ensuring that every American has the opportunity to leave behind something that matters.
Methodology
This study was conducted by WeAreTalker (formerly OnePoll) on behalf of Trust & Will. The survey was fielded between January 3–13, 2025, and included 10,000 U.S. adults aged 18 and older, ensuring a nationally representative sample. Respondents were randomly selected to provide a diverse range of perspectives across age, income, education, race, political affiliation, and geography. The results have been weighted where necessary to ensure demographic accuracy and reflect the current state of estate planning and financial attitudes in America.
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