The 2025 Trust & Will Estate Planning Report—the largest U.S. study of its kind based on 10,000 adults surveyed in January—reveals widespread awareness of estate planning (83%), but striking inaction: only 31% have wills, 11% have trusts, and 55% have no estate documents whatsoever. Americans’ views of the “American Dream” are shifting: nearly 60% no longer believe hard work guarantees economic opportunity, instead prioritizing personal growth, education, social impact, and digital legacy—and even treating pets (62%) as deserving of inclusion in estate plans.
Younger generations and wealthier Americans lead these trends, including greater trust in AI-enabled estate tools (20% trust AI more, 34% trust equally), though skepticism—especially among older adults—remains significant.
Major barriers include perceived irrelevance of planning among younger or lower‑wealth groups, procrastination, cost, and confusion—despite many expressing high confidence in their knowledge. And while protecting loved ones and achieving peace of mind are the most common motivators (cited by 50%), financial concerns, life events like marriage or having children, and professional or charitable legacy goals also play roles—yet too few act until a crisis or milestone prompts them. Read more.
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