Question 1

What documents does ETrustPlan create?

Accepted Answer

A revocable living trust, a pour-over will, a schedule of assets and a funding checklist, plus a living will, healthcare power of attorney, HIPAA authorization and final disposition instructions. Every document downloads as a print-ready PDF and an editable Word file.

Question 2

Does ETrustPlan work in my state?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Signing rules are built for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Witness counts, disinterested-witness rules, self-proving affidavits, notarization posture and community property treatment change automatically with the state you select.

Question 3

Is ETrustPlan a law firm?

Accepted Answer

No. ETrustPlan is a self-help document preparation service. It does not provide legal advice and no attorney-client relationship is created. If your situation involves special needs planning, a taxable estate or other complex factors, you should work with a licensed attorney in your state.

Question 4

Do my documents become legally effective when I download them?

Accepted Answer

No. Your documents must be signed following your state's execution requirements, which usually means signing in front of witnesses and, in most states, a notary. Each document set includes a signing checklist explaining exactly what to do.

Question 5

What does it mean to fund a trust?

Accepted Answer

Funding means retitling assets — real estate, bank and brokerage accounts, business interests — into the name of your trust, and updating beneficiary designations where appropriate. An unfunded trust does not avoid probate, so ETrustPlan includes a funding checklist with your plan.

Question 6

How is my information protected?

Accepted Answer

Your wizard answers stay in your browser unless you create an account. If you use the secure vault, documents are stored in private encrypted storage and downloads use short-lived links scoped only to you.

Question 7

What is in the living will (advance directive)?

Accepted Answer

It records the life-sustaining treatment you do and do not want if you are terminally ill or permanently unconscious, plus preferences on artificial nutrition and hydration and comfort care. It only takes effect when a physician determines you cannot speak for yourself.

Question 8

How is a healthcare power of attorney different from a living will?

Accepted Answer

A living will states your treatment wishes. A healthcare power of attorney names a person to make medical decisions for you and speak with your doctors. Most people sign both so someone can apply your written wishes to situations the document did not anticipate.

Question 9

Why do I need a HIPAA authorization?

Accepted Answer

Privacy law stops providers from sharing your medical records with family members who are not your agent. A HIPAA authorization lists the people who may receive your health information so your agent and family are not blocked while decisions are being made.

Question 10

What do final disposition instructions cover?

Accepted Answer

Burial or cremation, the person you authorize to carry out those wishes, service or memorial preferences, and any organ or anatomical gift decisions. Many states give this document legal weight over the objections of relatives.

Question 11

What is Schedule A in my trust?

Accepted Answer

Schedule A is the list of property held by the trust. It travels with the trust document and gets updated as you retitle accounts and real estate, which is why the funding checklist matters as much as the trust itself.

Question 12

Can I get my documents in Word as well as PDF?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Every document downloads as a print-ready PDF and an editable Word file, and you can generate an attorney-ready summary in either format if you want a lawyer to review your answers.

Question 13

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

Accepted Answer

A revocable living trust holds title to assets during your life and passes them to your beneficiaries without probate. A will directs anything still in your name at death and, in a trust plan, is written as a pour-over will that sends leftover assets into the trust.

Question 14

Do I still need a will if I have a living trust?

Accepted Answer

Yes. A pour-over will catches assets you never transferred to the trust and, if you have minor children, is where you nominate a guardian.

Question 15

How many witnesses does my will need?

Accepted Answer

Most states require two witnesses who sign in your presence, and many require the witnesses to be disinterested. The state pages list witness counts, notarization posture and self-proving affidavit rules for all 50 states and DC.

Question 16

What is a self-proving affidavit?

Accepted Answer

It is a sworn statement signed by you and your witnesses in front of a notary at the same time you sign your will. It lets the court accept the will without tracking down witnesses later.

Question 17

Who should be my healthcare agent?

Accepted Answer

Someone who is reachable, willing to speak with doctors and comfortable following your written wishes. Many states prohibit your treating physician or an employee of your care facility from serving in that role.

Question 18

Where do I find the signing rules for my state?

Accepted Answer

Each state page lists witness counts, whether witnesses must be disinterested, notarization posture, self-proving affidavit availability, community property status and the statutes those rules come from, along with the date the guidance was last reviewed.

Question 19

Do advance directives and powers of attorney follow the same rules as wills?

Accepted Answer

No. Many states use different witness counts, different witness exclusions and different notarization rules for healthcare documents than for wills, and a few require a separate declaration for mental-health treatment. Each state page lists both sets of rules.

Question 20

What happens if I move to another state?

Accepted Answer

Most states honor documents validly signed elsewhere, but the safest step is to re-sign your healthcare documents under your new state's rules and confirm your trust funding reflects the property you own there.

Estate planning questions, answered

Getting started

Your documents

Trusts, wills and witnesses

State rules

Read the full guides

Will vs trust

Estate planning checklist

The revocable living trust

The pour-over will

Funding your trust

Signing day rules

Who does what

The living will / advance directive

The healthcare power of attorney

The HIPAA authorization

Final disposition instructions

Signing rules by state