idonthaveawill.com logoidonthaveawill.com

Estate Planning by State

Every state has its own rules for wills, trusts, and probate. Estate planning starts with understanding what your state requires — and the single most important step is creating a valid will. Below you'll find a guide for each of the 50 US states and Washington DC.

This information is for general reference only and is not legal advice. Laws change — always verify current requirements with a licensed attorney in your state.

What Is Estate Planning?

Estate planning is the process of deciding what happens to your money, property, and family if you die or become incapacitated. It typically involves creating a will, setting up powers of attorney, and making sure your beneficiary designations are up to date. You don't need to be wealthy — if you have a bank account, a car, or children, you need an estate plan.

Choose Your State

AlabamaEstate planning guide
AL
AlaskaEstate planning guide
AK
ArizonaEstate planning guide
AZ
ArkansasEstate planning guide
AR
CaliforniaEstate planning guide
CA
ColoradoEstate planning guide
CO
ConnecticutEstate planning guide
CT
DelawareEstate planning guide
DE
District of ColumbiaEstate planning guide
DC
FloridaEstate planning guide
FL
GeorgiaEstate planning guide
GA
HawaiiEstate planning guide
HI
IdahoEstate planning guide
ID
IllinoisEstate planning guide
IL
IndianaEstate planning guide
IN
IowaEstate planning guide
IA
KansasEstate planning guide
KS
KentuckyEstate planning guide
KY
LouisianaEstate planning guide
LA
MaineEstate planning guide
ME
MarylandEstate planning guide
MD
MassachusettsEstate planning guide
MA
MichiganEstate planning guide
MI
MinnesotaEstate planning guide
MN
MississippiEstate planning guide
MS
MissouriEstate planning guide
MO
MontanaEstate planning guide
MT
NebraskaEstate planning guide
NE
NevadaEstate planning guide
NV
New HampshireEstate planning guide
NH
New JerseyEstate planning guide
NJ
New MexicoEstate planning guide
NM
New YorkEstate planning guide
NY
North CarolinaEstate planning guide
NC
North DakotaEstate planning guide
ND
OhioEstate planning guide
OH
OklahomaEstate planning guide
OK
OregonEstate planning guide
OR
PennsylvaniaEstate planning guide
PA
Rhode IslandEstate planning guide
RI
South CarolinaEstate planning guide
SC
South DakotaEstate planning guide
SD
TennesseeEstate planning guide
TN
TexasEstate planning guide
TX
UtahEstate planning guide
UT
VermontEstate planning guide
VT
VirginiaEstate planning guide
VA
WashingtonEstate planning guide
WA
West VirginiaEstate planning guide
WV
WisconsinEstate planning guide
WI
WyomingEstate planning guide
WY

Start with a will — it takes 10 minutes

A will is the foundation of every estate plan. Our free tool walks you through plain-English questions and generates a draft formatted for your state.

Get Started — Free