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Estate planning · None

Wills vs Trusts: How to Decide What's Right for Your Family

Does your estate plan need a will, a trust or both? Understanding how these tools work, and what your family needs, will help you make the right choice.

Read the original at Kiplinger ↗

What changed

Does your estate plan need a will, a trust or both? Understanding how these tools work, and what your family needs, will help you make the right choice.

Planning context

Why it matters

Connect the development to the governing primary source and the relevant evergreen guide before applying it.

The source controls. Read its date, scope, definitions, transition rules, forms, and later updates before applying this summary to a real matter.

Start planning

What Is Estate Planning?Last Will and TestamentBeneficiary DesignationsFinancial Power of AttorneyAdvance Health Care Directive and Living Will

Trusts

Revocable Living TrustIrrevocable TrustThird-Party Special Needs Trust

Taxes

Federal Estate TaxFederal Gift Tax and Form 709Generation-Skipping Transfer TaxIncome-Tax Basis at DeathState Estate and Inheritance Taxes

Administration

What Is Probate?Probate TimelineExecutor ResponsibilitiesWhat to Do After a DeathChoose Executors, Trustees, and Agents

Tools

Estate Planning WorkbenchFederal Estate Tax CalculatorGift Tax Reporting IllustratorProbate Cost EstimatorEstate Liquidity CalculatorInherited Asset Basis IllustratorEstate plan checklistMap your estate