Estate Planning Made Simple
Clear, state-specific guidance to help you understand your options, avoid common mistakes, and make informed decisions.
New here? Start with the Checkup.
Looking for state-specific information? Find your state.
Featured Estate Planning Resources
Practical guides and worksheets to help you organize your estate plan and make important decisions for your family.
5-Minute Estate Planning Checkup
Not sure whether your estate plan is complete? This free worksheet will help you identify common gaps and prioritize your next steps.
Who Should I Put In Charge?
Choosing the right people to serve as executor, trustee, financial agent, healthcare agent, and guardian can be one of the most important decisions in estate planning. This workbook will help you evaluate each role and make those choices with greater confidence.
Most People Start Here
Not sure where to begin? Follow these three simple steps.
Most families can get started in less than 15 minutes.
1️⃣ Take the 5-Minute Estate Planning Checkup
Quickly identify potential gaps in your estate plan and determine which topics deserve your attention first.
2️⃣ Learn the Basics
Watch our introductory estate planning videos to understand wills, trusts, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, and other key planning concepts.
3️⃣ Find Your State
Estate planning laws vary by state. Visit your state's page for state-specific videos, resources, and attorney information.
Start With the National Guide
The American Estate Planning Guide
Protect Your Family, Preserve Your Legacy, and Avoid Common Estate Planning Mistakes
If estate planning feels overwhelming, this book is designed to help you understand the process in plain English before you meet with an attorney.
It explains the key decisions families face involving wills, trusts, probate, incapacity planning, beneficiary designations, family communication, and more — without trying to turn you into an estate planning lawyer.
The goal is to help you become a more informed consumer, ask better questions, and make better decisions for the people you love.
New to the American Estate Planning Series?
Why I Created the American Estate Planning Series (And Who It’s For)
A simple explanation of how the American Estate Planning Series works and how to use it.
Prefer to learn by reading? The American Estate Planning Guide provides a national foundation for understanding estate planning before you explore the laws and practical realities of your own state.
Why State-Specific Estate Planning Matters
Estate planning is governed primarily by state law, not federal rules. While the basic concepts—wills, trusts, probate, and powers of attorney—are similar nationwide, the details that matter most often change from state to state. Generic information can be helpful for understanding the big picture, but it can break down quickly when applied to real people, real property, and real families.
The American Estate Planning Series exists to bridge that gap: combining clear, national-level education with accurate, state-specific guidance—so families can learn with confidence and know when local expertise truly matters.
Active States
State-specific estate planning resources are currently available in the following states, with additional states added over time.
California ✓
Georgia ✓
Illinois ✓
Indiana ✓
Louisiana ✓
New Jersey ✓
New York ✓
North Carolina ✓
Pennsylvania ✓
Texas ✓
More states in development
Who We Help
The American Estate Planning Series™ is designed to help families and estate planning attorneys better understand and communicate estate planning — in plain English.
✔ Families & Retirees
Learn how wills, trusts, and estate planning really work — so you can protect your family, avoid costly mistakes, and make informed decisions with confidence.
✔ Estate Planning Attorneys
Tools, education, and communication strategies to help you better serve clients and grow a thriving, trusted estate planning practice.
For Estate Planning Attorneys
The American Estate Planning Series is expanding state by state.
We work with a limited number of experienced estate planning attorneys who participate as Contributing Authors or Featured Metro Attorneys within the platform.
If you focus on estate planning and are interested in participating in a nationwide educational project, you can learn more about the opportunity below.