GITNUXREPORT 2026

Estate Planning Statistics

Most American adults do not have the essential legal documents to protect their families after death.

Rajesh Patel

Team Lead & Senior Researcher with over 15 years of experience in market research and data analytics.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

Our Commitment to Accuracy

Rigorous fact-checking · Reputable sources · Regular updatesLearn more

Statistic 1

60% of Americans 65+ have no will

Statistic 2

Women are 20% less likely to have estate plans

Statistic 3

Baby boomers control 52% of U.S. wealth

Statistic 4

Millennials to receive $68T inheritance by 2030

Statistic 5

72% of adults over 55 prioritize estate planning post-COVID

Statistic 6

Gen X wealth projected to double by 2030

Statistic 7

45% of unmarried couples lack joint planning

Statistic 8

LGBTQ+ individuals 15% less likely to have wills

Statistic 9

Rural areas 25% lower estate planning rates

Statistic 10

High-net-worth ($5M+) 92% have plans

Statistic 11

Divorce rates impact 30% of estate updates

Statistic 12

Aging population doubles estate needs by 2040

Statistic 13

55% of blended families have disputes

Statistic 14

Immigrant families 40% lack U.S. plans

Statistic 15

Military families 80% have basic plans

Statistic 16

65+ population to reach 95M by 2060

Statistic 17

Single women heads 35% more likely no plan

Statistic 18

Tech-savvy boomers 50% use digital planning

Statistic 19

Lower-income (<$50k) 75% no plans

Statistic 20

Trend: 300% rise in online wills since 2020

Statistic 21

Gen Z 18% prioritize crypto in plans

Statistic 22

50% increase in elder care planning post-2020

Statistic 23

Hispanic population wealth to triple by 2050

Statistic 24

62% of physicians have trusts

Statistic 25

Trend: AI tools in 10% of new plans 2023

Statistic 26

Empty nesters 70% revise plans

Statistic 27

56% of U.S. adults do not have a will or living trust

Statistic 28

Only 33% of Americans have a will

Statistic 29

67% of parents with minor children lack a will

Statistic 30

42% of millennials have no estate plan

Statistic 31

76% of adults over 55 have a will

Statistic 32

24% of Gen Z have started estate planning

Statistic 33

51% of high-net-worth individuals have trusts

Statistic 34

39% of Americans have designated a power of attorney

Statistic 35

62% of baby boomers lack a living trust

Statistic 36

45% of parents under 40 have no beneficiary designations updated

Statistic 37

70% of estates go through probate without a will

Statistic 38

29% of adults have a healthcare directive

Statistic 39

55% of pet owners have no pet trust provisions

Statistic 40

48% of business owners lack succession plans

Statistic 41

61% of women have no will compared to 51% men

Statistic 42

35% of divorced individuals update beneficiary designations

Statistic 43

52% of Americans believe they don't need estate planning under age 50

Statistic 44

68% of estates worth under $100k lack formal plans

Statistic 45

41% have discussed estate plans with family

Statistic 46

57% of Hispanic Americans lack wills

Statistic 47

64% of Black Americans do not have wills

Statistic 48

49% of Asian Americans have estate plans

Statistic 49

73% of adults over 72 have wills

Statistic 50

28% of young adults 18-34 have life insurance beneficiaries set

Statistic 51

59% regret not planning earlier

Statistic 52

46% of families avoid estate planning talks

Statistic 53

63% of high earners ($250k+) have comprehensive plans

Statistic 54

37% use online tools for basic planning

Statistic 55

54% of retirees have no digital asset plans

Statistic 56

Federal estate tax affects 0.2% of estates annually

Statistic 57

Estate tax exemption $12.92M per person in 2023

Statistic 58

Average probate cost 3-7% of estate value

Statistic 59

Lifetime gifts tax-free up to $17k per recipient 2023

Statistic 60

40% GST tax exemption $12.92M 2023

Statistic 61

Probate lasts 1-2 years averaging $10k+ fees

Statistic 62

Portability election used in 55% of married couples

Statistic 63

Annual exclusion gifts save $1.2M tax over 70 years

Statistic 64

Attorney fees for estate plans average $1,500-$2,500

Statistic 65

99.8% of estates pay no federal estate tax

Statistic 66

State estate taxes in 12 states with exemption avg $2M

Statistic 67

Irrevocable trusts save avg 20% in estate taxes

Statistic 68

Probate bonds cost 0.5-1% of estate

Statistic 69

CRUTs provide 5-7% annual payouts tax-free

Statistic 70

529 plans save 15% capital gains on appreciation

Statistic 71

Executor fees 2-5% in most states

Statistic 72

Step-up in basis saves heirs avg $100k+ taxes

Statistic 73

QDOTs defer tax for non-citizen spouses 80% usage

Statistic 74

Average estate planning cost $2,000 for couples

Statistic 75

Gift tax returns filed for 0.1% of population

Statistic 76

Probate court filing fees avg $400

Statistic 77

1031 exchanges defer 100% capital gains tax

Statistic 78

CLATs frontload deductions saving 30% tax

Statistic 79

Medicaid recovery claims 10% of estate recoveries

Statistic 80

Annual trust admin costs $2k-$5k

Statistic 81

37% estate tax savings via valuation discounts

Statistic 82

Online probate services cut costs 50%

Statistic 83

70% of states have inheritance tax abolished

Statistic 84

GRAT success rate 90% zeroed-out tax-free

Statistic 85

50% of U.S. household wealth is held by those over 55

Statistic 86

Average inheritance in U.S. is $46,200

Statistic 87

Baby boomers expected to transfer $84 trillion by 2045

Statistic 88

21.6 million Americans expected to receive $500k+ inheritance

Statistic 89

Median estate value at death is $122,000

Statistic 90

Top 10% hold 76% of total wealth

Statistic 91

$36 trillion wealth transfer to millennials by 2050

Statistic 92

Average family net worth for 55-64 is $212,500

Statistic 93

70% of wealthy families lose wealth by second generation

Statistic 94

Real estate comprises 32% of household assets

Statistic 95

Retirement accounts make up 30% of estates over $1M

Statistic 96

$68 trillion in IRAs to be inherited by 2030

Statistic 97

Women inherit 70% of wealth transfers

Statistic 98

Average inheritance for millennials $112,000

Statistic 99

48% of inheritances under $100k

Statistic 100

$11.7 trillion in assets in trusts

Statistic 101

Family businesses represent 64% of GDP

Statistic 102

30% of estates include business assets

Statistic 103

Cryptocurrency holdings in 12% of estates

Statistic 104

Art and collectibles 8% of high-net-worth estates

Statistic 105

$2.5 trillion annual intergenerational transfer

Statistic 106

40% of wealth transfer via lifetime gifts

Statistic 107

Median inheritance age 51 years old

Statistic 108

55% of heirs spend inheritance within 5 years

Statistic 109

Stocks comprise 21% of household wealth

Statistic 110

65% of estates under $1M have no tax due

Statistic 111

79% of parents plan to leave home to children

Statistic 112

$15 trillion in housing wealth to transfer

Statistic 113

62% of high-net-worth use irrevocable trusts

Statistic 114

Total U.S. household wealth $156 trillion in 2023

Statistic 115

58% of Americans have wills

Statistic 116

20% of estates use revocable living trusts

Statistic 117

Probate avoidance via trusts in 35% of planned estates

Statistic 118

15% use testamentary trusts in wills

Statistic 119

42% of wills are holographic or non-formal

Statistic 120

Special needs trusts used by 8% of families

Statistic 121

Charitable remainder trusts in 5% of high-net-worth wills

Statistic 122

67% prefer revocable trusts over probate

Statistic 123

Dynasty trusts used by 12% of ultra-wealthy

Statistic 124

25% of wills include pet trusts

Statistic 125

Irrevocable life insurance trusts (ILITs) in 18% of plans

Statistic 126

31% of estates with trusts avoid probate fully

Statistic 127

Spendthrift trusts protect 22% of beneficiary inheritances

Statistic 128

9% use qualified personal residence trusts (QPRTs)

Statistic 129

Bypass trusts declining post-2011 tax law to 7%

Statistic 130

44% of parents use UGMA/UTMA custodial accounts

Statistic 131

Grantor retained annuity trusts (GRATs) in 14% HNW plans

Statistic 132

52% of wills updated every 5 years or less

Statistic 133

Totten trusts for POD accounts in 28% of bank estates

Statistic 134

16% of estates use SLATs (spousal lifetime access trusts)

Statistic 135

HEMS standard in 65% of discretionary trusts

Statistic 136

37% of trusts are discretionary vs. support

Statistic 137

Pour-over wills accompany 80% of living trusts

Statistic 138

11% use intentionally defective grantor trusts (IDGTs)

Statistic 139

No-contest clauses in 72% of wills

Statistic 140

23% of trusts hold life insurance policies

Statistic 141

Self-settled asset protection trusts in 6% of states allowing

Statistic 142

48% of wills name contingent executors

Statistic 143

Domestic asset protection trusts used by 4% HNW

1/143

Sources

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Despite the common belief that estate planning can wait, over half of American adults are risking their family’s future by not having a will, a startling oversight that underscores why this essential financial step cannot be postponed.

Key Takeaways

56% of U.S. adults do not have a will or living trust
Only 33% of Americans have a will
67% of parents with minor children lack a will
50% of U.S. household wealth is held by those over 55
Average inheritance in U.S. is $46,200
Baby boomers expected to transfer $84 trillion by 2045
58% of Americans have wills
20% of estates use revocable living trusts
Probate avoidance via trusts in 35% of planned estates
Federal estate tax affects 0.2% of estates annually
Estate tax exemption $12.92M per person in 2023
Average probate cost 3-7% of estate value
60% of Americans 65+ have no will
Women are 20% less likely to have estate plans
Baby boomers control 52% of U.S. wealth

Most American adults do not have the essential legal documents to protect their families after death.

Demographic and Trend Data

60% of Americans 65+ have no will
Women are 20% less likely to have estate plans
Baby boomers control 52% of U.S. wealth
Millennials to receive $68T inheritance by 2030
72% of adults over 55 prioritize estate planning post-COVID
Gen X wealth projected to double by 2030
45% of unmarried couples lack joint planning
LGBTQ+ individuals 15% less likely to have wills
Rural areas 25% lower estate planning rates
High-net-worth ($5M+) 92% have plans
Divorce rates impact 30% of estate updates
Aging population doubles estate needs by 2040
55% of blended families have disputes
Immigrant families 40% lack U.S. plans
Military families 80% have basic plans
65+ population to reach 95M by 2060
Single women heads 35% more likely no plan
Tech-savvy boomers 50% use digital planning
Lower-income (<$50k) 75% no plans
Trend: 300% rise in online wills since 2020
Gen Z 18% prioritize crypto in plans
50% increase in elder care planning post-2020
Hispanic population wealth to triple by 2050
62% of physicians have trusts
Trend: AI tools in 10% of new plans 2023
Empty nesters 70% revise plans

Demographic and Trend Data Interpretation

It seems a starkly unprepared majority is set to pass an unprecedented mountain of wealth to a generation more likely to plan for their digital currency than their mortality, all while the very families who need clarity most—the unmarried, the rural, and the historically overlooked—are left navigating this looming transfer with little more than hope and a prayer.

Estate Planning Participation

56% of U.S. adults do not have a will or living trust
Only 33% of Americans have a will
67% of parents with minor children lack a will
42% of millennials have no estate plan
76% of adults over 55 have a will
24% of Gen Z have started estate planning
51% of high-net-worth individuals have trusts
39% of Americans have designated a power of attorney
62% of baby boomers lack a living trust
45% of parents under 40 have no beneficiary designations updated
70% of estates go through probate without a will
29% of adults have a healthcare directive
55% of pet owners have no pet trust provisions
48% of business owners lack succession plans
61% of women have no will compared to 51% men
35% of divorced individuals update beneficiary designations
52% of Americans believe they don't need estate planning under age 50
68% of estates worth under $100k lack formal plans
41% have discussed estate plans with family
57% of Hispanic Americans lack wills
64% of Black Americans do not have wills
49% of Asian Americans have estate plans
73% of adults over 72 have wills
28% of young adults 18-34 have life insurance beneficiaries set
59% regret not planning earlier
46% of families avoid estate planning talks
63% of high earners ($250k+) have comprehensive plans
37% use online tools for basic planning
54% of retirees have no digital asset plans

Estate Planning Participation Interpretation

The collective American approach to estate planning appears to be a masterclass in optimistic procrastination, where a majority are betting heavily on their own immortality, the goodwill of relatives, and the court system's fondness for tidy paperwork.

Tax and Cost Statistics

Federal estate tax affects 0.2% of estates annually
Estate tax exemption $12.92M per person in 2023
Average probate cost 3-7% of estate value
Lifetime gifts tax-free up to $17k per recipient 2023
40% GST tax exemption $12.92M 2023
Probate lasts 1-2 years averaging $10k+ fees
Portability election used in 55% of married couples
Annual exclusion gifts save $1.2M tax over 70 years
Attorney fees for estate plans average $1,500-$2,500
99.8% of estates pay no federal estate tax
State estate taxes in 12 states with exemption avg $2M
Irrevocable trusts save avg 20% in estate taxes
Probate bonds cost 0.5-1% of estate
CRUTs provide 5-7% annual payouts tax-free
529 plans save 15% capital gains on appreciation
Executor fees 2-5% in most states
Step-up in basis saves heirs avg $100k+ taxes
QDOTs defer tax for non-citizen spouses 80% usage
Average estate planning cost $2,000 for couples
Gift tax returns filed for 0.1% of population
Probate court filing fees avg $400
1031 exchanges defer 100% capital gains tax
CLATs frontload deductions saving 30% tax
Medicaid recovery claims 10% of estate recoveries
Annual trust admin costs $2k-$5k
37% estate tax savings via valuation discounts
Online probate services cut costs 50%
70% of states have inheritance tax abolished
GRAT success rate 90% zeroed-out tax-free

Tax and Cost Statistics Interpretation

While the federal estate tax looms large as a theoretical beast, its bite is largely theatrical, affecting less than one percent of estates, yet the real financial bloodletting for most families comes from the silent, bureaucratic vampire of probate, which siphons off years and a small fortune in fees if you're not clever enough to slip it some garlic in the form of a solid, proactive plan.

Wealth and Inheritance

50% of U.S. household wealth is held by those over 55
Average inheritance in U.S. is $46,200
Baby boomers expected to transfer $84 trillion by 2045
21.6 million Americans expected to receive $500k+ inheritance
Median estate value at death is $122,000
Top 10% hold 76% of total wealth
$36 trillion wealth transfer to millennials by 2050
Average family net worth for 55-64 is $212,500
70% of wealthy families lose wealth by second generation
Real estate comprises 32% of household assets
Retirement accounts make up 30% of estates over $1M
$68 trillion in IRAs to be inherited by 2030
Women inherit 70% of wealth transfers
Average inheritance for millennials $112,000
48% of inheritances under $100k
$11.7 trillion in assets in trusts
Family businesses represent 64% of GDP
30% of estates include business assets
Cryptocurrency holdings in 12% of estates
Art and collectibles 8% of high-net-worth estates
$2.5 trillion annual intergenerational transfer
40% of wealth transfer via lifetime gifts
Median inheritance age 51 years old
55% of heirs spend inheritance within 5 years
Stocks comprise 21% of household wealth
65% of estates under $1M have no tax due
79% of parents plan to leave home to children
$15 trillion in housing wealth to transfer
62% of high-net-worth use irrevocable trusts
Total U.S. household wealth $156 trillion in 2023

Wealth and Inheritance Interpretation

The staggering concentration of wealth means that while a few will inherit dynasties, most Americans will receive a sum that, after a lifetime of waiting, vanishes faster than a decent used car, proving that estate planning is less about fairytale legacies and more about the sober math of who gets what before the grand dispersal of the Boomer fortune truly begins.

Wills and Trusts Usage

58% of Americans have wills
20% of estates use revocable living trusts
Probate avoidance via trusts in 35% of planned estates
15% use testamentary trusts in wills
42% of wills are holographic or non-formal
Special needs trusts used by 8% of families
Charitable remainder trusts in 5% of high-net-worth wills
67% prefer revocable trusts over probate
Dynasty trusts used by 12% of ultra-wealthy
25% of wills include pet trusts
Irrevocable life insurance trusts (ILITs) in 18% of plans
31% of estates with trusts avoid probate fully
Spendthrift trusts protect 22% of beneficiary inheritances
9% use qualified personal residence trusts (QPRTs)
Bypass trusts declining post-2011 tax law to 7%
44% of parents use UGMA/UTMA custodial accounts
Grantor retained annuity trusts (GRATs) in 14% HNW plans
52% of wills updated every 5 years or less
Totten trusts for POD accounts in 28% of bank estates
16% of estates use SLATs (spousal lifetime access trusts)
HEMS standard in 65% of discretionary trusts
37% of trusts are discretionary vs. support
Pour-over wills accompany 80% of living trusts
11% use intentionally defective grantor trusts (IDGTs)
No-contest clauses in 72% of wills
23% of trusts hold life insurance policies
Self-settled asset protection trusts in 6% of states allowing
48% of wills name contingent executors
Domestic asset protection trusts used by 4% HNW

Wills and Trusts Usage Interpretation

While most Americans wisely draft a will, the sophisticated chess game of estate planning reveals itself in the numbers, where revocable trusts are the favored shield against probate, special needs and pet provisions reflect our humanity, and the ultra-wealthy deploy strategic tools like dynasty trusts and GRATs to quietly outmaneuver taxes and time.

Sources & References

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