Estate Planning in Your State
The principles of estate planning are the same in every state: You want to get your affairs in order so that after your death, your assets will go to the people you want to inherit them, family members aren't confused or angry, unnecessary costs and delay are avoided, and someone you trust has authority to make sure your wishes are followed. You may also want to take extra measures to make sure that children, or adults who need help managing money, won' t squander what they inherit.
That said, state laws do have a big effect on estate planning. State laws differ when it comes to property rights of spouses, the rights of children to inherit, and estate and inheritance taxes. Each state also has its own set of allowed probate-avoidance methods. You need to know your state's rules before you can do effective, efficient estate planning.
Ready to create your will?
Learn more about your state's estate planning laws at the links below:
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington D.C.
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
Estate Planning Laws in Your State
Learn more about your state's estate planning laws at the links below:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington D.C.
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
A last will and testament can help protect your family and your property.
Find out how to make a living trust in California.
The California probate process isn't as complicated as in some states, but it can be expensive.
In New York, a will can help you protect your family and your property.
Learn how to make a living trust in New York.
New York offers a probate shortcut for "small estates." This makes it easier for survivors to transfer property left by a person who has died.
If you die without a will in New York, your assets will go to your closest relatives under state “intestate succession” laws.
A will can help you protect your family and your property in Texas.
Learn how to make a living trust in Texas.
A will can help you protect your family and your property.
Learn how to make a living trust in Illinois.
Find out how to make a will to protect you and your family in Pennsylvania.
Learn how to make a living trust in Pennsylvania.
Learn the rules about who can be your personal representative in Pennsylvania.
A will can help you protect your family and your property.
Learn how to make a living trust in Florida.
Florida's ABLE United accounts help those with special needs save money while remaining eligible for disability benefits.
Florida has several options when it's time for probate proceedings.
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