Outsmart State Law.
Without a will, your state decides who gets your assets. Heirloom shows you the default rules, then helps you build a plan that reflects your actual wishes.
What happens if you do nothing.
When someone passes without a will, their state decides who gets what. This is called "intestacy," and the results often shock families.
Your spouse might only receive half of your assets, with the other half going directly to your children, even if they are minors. Step-children? They typically receive nothing. That close friend who has been like family for 30 years? Nothing. Your favorite charity? Nothing.
The state does not know your relationships, your values, or your intentions. It follows a formula. Heirloom shows you that formula before it is too late to change it.
Critical Issue Detected
Your step-child (Child B) receives $0 under current state law. Step-children are not automatic heirs.
No Guardian Named
Minor children (ages 8, 12) have no designated guardian. A court will decide who raises them.
Simulator based on your state's current intestacy laws
Will vs. Trust: The Real Difference
These are not interchangeable. Each serves a specific purpose, and most families need some combination of both. Here's how to think about it without the confusing language.
A Will
Think of a will as a letter of instructions that only takes effect after you pass. A court reads it and carries out your wishes.
Names a guardian for minor children
Specifies who gets what
Names someone to manage the process
Goes through probate (public court process)
Doesn't help if you become unable to manage your own affairs
A Trust
Think of a trust as a container you create while you're alive. You put assets into it and set the rules for how they're managed and distributed.
Skips the public court process entirely
Works while you're alive and after
Controls when and how heirs receive assets
Can protect assets from creditors and lawsuits
Keeps everything private, no public record
The short version: Almost everyone needs a will. If you own property, have minor children, or want to control the timing of distributions, you likely need a trust too. Heirloom helps you figure out which combination is right for your situation.
The Documents That Actually Matter
A will is just one piece. There are four documents that every adult should have in place. Without them, someone you love will be stuck making impossible decisions with no guidance.
Last Will
Your instructions for who gets what, who manages the process, and who raises your children if they are minors. Without it, a judge makes these decisions for you.
Healthcare Proxy
Names the person who makes medical decisions for you if you can't speak for yourself. Without it, your family may end up in court to get permission, even your spouse.
Power of Attorney
Names the person who handles your finances if you're unable to. Pays your bills, manages your accounts, and keeps your financial life running. Critical if you're ever in an accident or become seriously ill.
Living Will
Spells out your wishes for end-of-life care. Do you want life support? Under what conditions? This document prevents your family from having to guess, and from fighting over what you would have wanted.
Heirloom tracks which of these documents you have, which are outdated, and which are still missing. When your children turn 18, we'll nudge you to have them sign their own Healthcare Proxy and Power of Attorney, because these are not just for older adults.
The Beneficiary Blind Spot
Here's something most people do not realize: your will does not control everything. Retirement accounts, life insurance policies, and bank accounts with "payable on death" designations all pass directly to whoever is named as beneficiary, regardless of what your will says.
If you named your ex-spouse as the beneficiary on your 401(k) ten years ago and never updated it, they still get it. Even if your will says otherwise. The beneficiary designation wins every time.
Heirloom flags these mismatches. We'll help you see every account, every policy, and every designation in one place, so nothing falls through the cracks.
Beneficiary Audit
Beneficiary: Jennifer M. (ex-spouse)
Last updated: 2018
Beneficiary: Rachel M. (spouse)
Last updated: 2024
Beneficiary: None designated
This account will go through probate
Beneficiary: Rachel M. (spouse)
Last updated: 2024
What Most People Get Wrong
Estate planning has more myths than almost any other area of personal finance. Here are the ones that trip families up the most.
"I don't have enough money to need a will."
A will is not about how much you have. It is about who decides what happens to it. If you have a child, a car, a bank account, or a single piece of property, you need a will. Without one, a court decides everything, and the process takes months and costs your family money.
"My spouse will get everything automatically."
In many states, that is not true. Your spouse may receive only one-third to one-half of your assets, with the rest going to your children. If your children are minors, a court appoints someone to manage their share. That person might not be your spouse.
"I already wrote a will ten years ago. I am covered."
Life changes. Marriages, divorces, births, deaths, new homes, new businesses. A will from ten years ago probably does not reflect your family today. Heirloom prompts you to review your plan whenever a major life event happens, so your documents stay current.
"A trust is only for wealthy families."
If you own a home, a trust can keep your family out of probate court and save them months of delays and thousands in legal fees. If you have minor children, a trust ensures their inheritance is managed responsibly until they are mature enough to handle it. These are not luxury tools. They are practical ones.
"My kids will just figure it out."
This is the most expensive sentence in estate planning. Without a clear plan, families spend more on lawyers, court fees, and time than the planning itself would have cost. And the emotional cost, siblings fighting over belongings, relationships destroyed over ambiguity, is incalculable. Do not leave them a mess. Leave them a map.
Probate: What It Costs Your Family
A properly funded trust bypasses all of this.
Probate: The Process Nobody Warns You About
Probate is the court-supervised process of distributing someone's assets after they pass. Even with a will, most estates go through probate. It's slow, expensive, and entirely public.
During probate, your family's bank accounts can be frozen. They may need court permission to sell your home. The details of your estate, including what you owned and who gets it, become part of the public record.
A trust avoids all of this. Assets held in a trust pass directly to your beneficiaries without court involvement. Faster, cheaper, and private.
Planning should feel empowering, not overwhelming.
Heirloom does not replace lawyers. It prepares you to work with one. By the time you sit down with an attorney, you'll already know what you want, what you need, and what questions to ask. That saves you time, money, and the paralysis of starting from scratch.
Simulate
See what happens under your state's current laws. Identify gaps, risks, and blind spots.
Design
Build a plan that reflects your wishes. Name guardians, set distributions, define rules.
Formalize
Take your Heirloom plan to an attorney. You'll arrive prepared, informed, and confident.
Also explore
Heirloom grows with your family.
The Fairness Engine
Fair does not mean equal. Track lifetime support, balance giving across children, and document your reasoning.
Learn more →For CouplesPlan Your Money, Together
Understand each other's money values, build a shared spending plan, and stay aligned with monthly check-ins.
Learn more →Take control of your story.
You've worked too hard to let a state formula decide what happens next. Draft a plan that speaks for you, protects the people you love, and makes sure nothing is left to chance.