Everything You Need to Know About Estate Planning in Your State
Estate planning laws vary significantly by state. Probate thresholds, estate tax rules, will execution requirements, and court procedures are all state-specific. Using a generic guide can lead to costly mistakes.
We created these comprehensive guides specifically for residents of the most-searched states — with exact current laws, forms, costs, and attorney contacts for each state.
What's inside each guide:
✓ State probate laws
✓ Estate tax analysis
✓ Will vs. trust comparison
✓ Step-by-step will creation
✓ Trust setup checklist
✓ Common mistakes to avoid
✓ State-specific forms
✓ Attorney cost estimates
✓ Online tool comparison
✓ Digital asset planning
✓ Special circumstances
✓ Probate timeline
✓ Asset protection tips
✓ Planning scenarios
✓ Full glossary
✓ State FAQs
Click any guide to download the PDF directly. No email, no paywall, no friction.
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The Complete Guide to Wills & Trusts in California 2026
39.5M residents
No estate tax
Community property
- $184,500 probate threshold
- Living trust strongly recommended
- Holographic wills valid
- Community property rules explained
- IAEA independent administration
📄 Download California Guide (86 KB, 41 pages)
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The Complete Guide to Wills & Trusts in New York 2026
19.8M residents
Has estate tax
Surrogate's Court
- $50,000 small estate threshold
- NY estate tax cliff explained
- ~$7.16M state exemption
- Health Care Proxy requirements
- NYC co-op considerations
📄 Download New York Guide (87 KB, 41 pages)
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The Complete Guide to Wills & Trusts in Texas 2026
30.5M residents
No estate tax
Community property
- $75,000 probate threshold
- Lady Bird Deeds explained
- Muniment of title procedure
- Independent administration
- Homestead protections
📄 Download Texas Guide (87 KB, 41 pages)
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The Complete Guide to Wills & Trusts in Florida 2026
22.6M residents
No estate tax
Homestead rules
- No holographic wills in FL
- Complex homestead laws
- Elective share (30%) explained
- Summary administration option
- Multi-state property planning
📄 Download Florida Guide (87 KB, 41 pages)
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The Complete Guide to Wills & Trusts in Pennsylvania 2026
13.0M residents
Inheritance tax
Orphans' Court
- Inheritance tax: 0%/4.5%/12%/15%
- 5% discount if paid in 3 months
- New POA requirements (2015)
- IRA inheritance tax exposure
- Small estate under $50,000
📄 Download Pennsylvania Guide (87 KB, 41 pages)
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The Complete Guide to Wills & Trusts in Illinois 2026
12.8M residents
Has estate tax
$4M exemption
- $4M IL exemption (lower than federal)
- Credit shelter trust strategies
- No holographic wills in IL
- New Illinois Trust Code (2020)
- Small estate under $100,000
📄 Download Illinois Guide (87 KB, 41 pages)
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The Complete Guide to Wills & Trusts in Ohio 2026
11.8M residents
No estate tax
TOD Affidavit
- Ohio Legacy Trust (asset protection)
- TOD Affidavit for real estate
- No estate tax since 2013
- Specialized Probate Courts
- Summary release available
📄 Download Ohio Guide (86 KB, 41 pages)
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The Complete Guide to Wills & Trusts in Georgia 2026
10.9M residents
No estate tax
Notarization req.
- Wills must be NOTARIZED in GA
- Year's support rights explained
- 2007 combined Advance Directive
- Solemn vs. common form probate
- Atlanta real estate planning tips
📄 Download Georgia Guide (86 KB, 41 pages)
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The Complete Guide to Wills & Trusts in North Carolina 2026
10.7M residents
No estate tax
Clerk of Court
- Clerk of Superior Court handles probate
- Holographic wills valid in NC
- 2018 Uniform POA Act
- NC spousal allowance: $60,000
- Collection by affidavit option
📄 Download North Carolina Guide (87 KB, 41 pages)
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The Complete Guide to Wills & Trusts in Arizona 2026
7.4M residents
No estate tax
Community property
- Uniform Probate Code state
- Community property WROS option
- No estate tax since 2005
- Affidavit of Successor option
- Multi-state retiree planning
📄 Download Arizona Guide (86 KB, 41 pages)