Educational planning tools

Turn a complicated subject into a structured next question

Use calculators, checklists, maps, and decision guides to understand what may deserve closer review—without entering account numbers, private keys, passwords, or other sensitive identifiers.

1See assumptions before results 2Know the tax year and jurisdiction 3Take questions—not conclusions—to an advisor
A woman working through figures with a laptop and calculator at her kitchen table

The all-in-one starting point

Build one estate snapshot. Add the calculations you actually need.

The Estate Planning Workbench carries shared asset, debt, state, and liquidity values through a modular plan, then brings every selected result together in one review.

Open the Estate Planning Workbench
  1. 01
    Enter shared values onceBuild a broad, non-sensitive estate profile.
  2. 02
    Choose your modulesAdd, remove, and reorder the calculations that matter.
  3. 03
    Review one combined resultSee connected estimates, assumptions, gaps, and next questions together.

16 focused tools available

Focused calculators, checklists, and visual guides

Use these when you want to isolate one question or open a companion planning activity.

GameAvailable

The Legacy Game

Pick a starting fortune and family type, choose real trust strategies, then play year by year across three generations. Just for fun—illustrative only, not legal or tax advice.

You exploreOn-screen choices only—no personal information
You receiveA star-rated educational outcome versus doing nothing
Tax year
2026
Jurisdiction
United States—general; WA, FL, TX and CA modeled
Last reviewed
October 1, 2026
Open The Legacy Game
Tax calculatorAvailable

Federal Estate Tax Calculator

Illustrate a simplified 2026 federal taxable-estate amount and marginal tax exposure.

You exploreGeneral values only—no account numbers or secrets
You receiveTransparent educational illustration
Tax year
2026
Jurisdiction
United States—federal
Last reviewed
August 21, 2026
Open Federal Estate Tax Calculator
State-law screenerAvailable

State Estate Tax Screening Calculator

Use The Estate Guide's current categorical state estate-tax research to screen an estate value and open the controlling state guide.

You exploreGeneral values only—no account numbers or secrets
You receiveTransparent educational illustration
Tax year
2026
Jurisdiction
United States—state law varies
Last reviewed
August 21, 2026
Open State Estate Tax Screening Calculator
Tax calculatorAvailable

Gift Tax Reporting Illustrator

Separate the annual-exclusion reporting question from actual gift tax that might be payable.

You exploreGeneral values only—no account numbers or secrets
You receiveTransparent educational illustration
Tax year
2026
Jurisdiction
United States—federal
Last reviewed
August 21, 2026
Open Gift Tax Reporting Illustrator
Inventory calculatorAvailable

Estate Value Calculator

Build a broad gross-asset and net-estate snapshot without entering account numbers or identifying details.

You exploreGeneral values only—no account numbers or secrets
You receiveTransparent educational illustration
Jurisdiction
United States—general
Last reviewed
August 21, 2026
Open Estate Value Calculator
Administration calculatorAvailable

Probate Cost Estimator

Apply a transparent assumption to explore how administration costs can affect an estate.

You exploreGeneral values only—no account numbers or secrets
You receiveTransparent educational illustration
Jurisdiction
State law varies
Last reviewed
August 21, 2026
Open Probate Cost Estimator
Planning calculatorAvailable

Estate Liquidity Calculator

Compare estimated cash needs with liquid resources available during administration.

You exploreGeneral values only—no account numbers or secrets
You receiveTransparent educational illustration
Tax year
2026
Jurisdiction
United States—general
Last reviewed
August 21, 2026
Open Estate Liquidity Calculator
Tax calculatorAvailable

Inherited Asset Basis Illustrator

Compare a carryover-basis gift illustration with a date-of-death basis illustration.

You exploreGeneral values only—no account numbers or secrets
You receiveTransparent educational illustration
Tax year
2026
Jurisdiction
United States—federal
Last reviewed
August 21, 2026
Open Inherited Asset Basis Illustrator
Charitable calculatorAvailable

Charitable Giving Illustrator

Compare an entered charitable gift with transparent income-tax and appreciated-property assumptions.

You exploreGeneral values only—no account numbers or secrets
You receiveTransparent educational illustration
Tax year
2026
Jurisdiction
United States—federal
Last reviewed
August 21, 2026
Open Charitable Giving Illustrator
Advanced-planning calculatorAvailable

GRAT Illustration Calculator

Illustrate appreciation above a user-entered assumed Section 7520 rate over a selected GRAT term.

You exploreGeneral values only—no account numbers or secrets
You receiveTransparent educational illustration
Tax year
2026
Jurisdiction
United States—federal
Last reviewed
August 21, 2026
Open GRAT Illustration Calculator
Education calculatorAvailable

Compound Inheritance Calculator

Show how a starting amount changes under a user-selected mathematical growth assumption.

You exploreGeneral values only—no account numbers or secrets
You receiveTransparent educational illustration
Jurisdiction
Not jurisdiction-specific
Last reviewed
August 21, 2026
Open Compound Inheritance Calculator
Liquidity calculatorAvailable

Life Insurance Needs Illustrator

Organize income-replacement, debt, education, and existing-resource assumptions.

You exploreGeneral values only—no account numbers or secrets
You receiveTransparent educational illustration
Jurisdiction
United States—general
Last reviewed
August 21, 2026
Open Life Insurance Needs Illustrator
ChecklistAvailable

Estate Planning Checklist

Build a reading and discussion list from general topic selections.

You exploreCurrent / review / not applicable
You receiveEducational topic list
Jurisdiction
United States—general
Last reviewed
August 21, 2026
Open Estate Planning Checklist
Asset mapAvailable

Map Your Estate

Sort broad asset categories by ownership path and possible probate exposure.

You exploreCategory, approximate value, ownership path
You receiveDevice-local educational map
Jurisdiction
State law varies
Last reviewed
August 21, 2026
Open Map Your Estate
Decision guideAvailable

Estate Planning Flowcharts

Follow six visual decision trees for wills, trusts, probate, estate-tax returns, asset ownership, and inherited IRAs.

You exploreGeneral ownership and planning questions
You receiveA focused topic and questions to verify
Tax year
2026
Jurisdiction
United States—general; state law varies
Last reviewed
August 21, 2026
Open Estate Planning Flowcharts

How estimates work

Inputs → assumptions → educational output

  1. 01

    Enter non-sensitive facts

    Use approximate values when an exact amount is unnecessary. Never enter account numbers, credentials, private keys, or passwords.

  2. 02

    Review the model

    Check the tax year, jurisdiction, rates, exclusions, timing assumptions, and important items the tool does not model.

  3. 03

    Use the result as a question

    An estimate can reveal a topic to research; it cannot determine what is legally valid, tax-efficient, or appropriate for a particular person.

Useful companions

Read before relying on a number