What is the difference between a will and a living trust?

A will gives instructions for property handled through the estate after death and usually goes through probate. A revocable living trust can hold property during life and may keep properly funded trust property outside probate. A trust requires more setup because property must be connected to it.

General information

• A trust does not control property that was never transferred to it.
• A will can nominate guardians for minor children.
• Many trust plans also include a pour-over will for property left outside the trust.

Service steps to consider

1. Comparing the property the person own and how each asset is titled.
2. Consider whether probate avoidance, incapacity planning, or simple instructions matter most.
3. Get legal advice when the choice could affect taxes, creditor rights, or family rights.

Quick check

• Do I know who I want to name?
• Do I know what I own and owe?
• Do I need advice about my own facts?

How Complete Wills can help

Complete Wills offers guided online questionnaires for will-based and trust-based estate plans. Customer support can explain the website, account steps, package features, and how to correct details. It cannot decide which legal plan fits a particular situation or give legal advice. Customer support can explain website features and questionnaire fields, but it cannot choose documents, people, distributions, or legal terms, interpret a completed document, or explain how the law applies to a person's facts. Only a separately engaged licensed attorney may provide legal advice within the attorney's engagement.

Important limits

• Estate-planning law is mainly state law. The correct document and signing rules can change by state.
• A licensed attorney can provide advice about blended families, disputed relationships, special-needs planning, tax issues, foreign property, business succession, or any question that requires advice about the person's facts. This article gives general information only. A licensed attorney can explain how state law applies to a specific estate plan or document.