Estate planning for families whose lives don’t fit a template.

Estate planning means creating legal documents that say who gets your assets, who takes care of your children, and who makes decisions on your behalf if you cannot. Without these documents, state law makes those decisions for you — and the results are often not what families would have chosen.

Yes. Our documents are drafted in compliance with your state's laws, reviewed and approved by a licensed attorney, and include a self-proving affidavit where applicable. When properly executed with witnesses and notarization as instructed, they are fully legally valid.

Unlike DIY services, every HeirForge document is reviewed clause by clause by a licensed attorney before delivery. Our AI customizes the language to your situation, and the attorney verifies every change. You get the convenience of online plus the assurance of professional review.

You do not need to figure that out on your own. Our free assessment asks about your family, assets, and goals, then recommends exactly which documents are right for your situation. The assessment takes under 10 minutes and there is no cost or commitment until you decide to proceed.

After payment, our system generates your personalized documents using AI customization. A licensed attorney then reviews each clause, approves or refines the language, and signs off on the final documents. You will be notified when they are ready in your secure vault.

Yes. Through your client portal, you can submit update requests for life changes like marriage, new children, or changes in beneficiaries. Our team will help you make the necessary amendments. We also offer an annual maintenance plan for unlimited updates.

Everything: personalized document drafting, AI customization, full attorney review and approval, a self-proving affidavit (for wills), secure vault storage, step-by-step signing instructions, and access to submit update requests. No hidden fees.

The initial assessment takes under 10 minutes. After you choose your plan, the detailed intake takes about 30 minutes. Document generation and attorney review typically take 3-5 business days. You will receive an email when your documents are ready.

Your documents are stored in your encrypted vault and accessible from any device. We provide instructions on sharing vault access with your executor or family members, so the right people can find your documents when they are needed.

New York has a state estate tax with an exemption of about $7.35 million (as of 2026). But here is the catch: if your estate exceeds 105% of the exemption, the entire estate is taxed from dollar one — not just the amount over the threshold. This is called the "cliff." For married couples, a credit shelter trust can help keep each spouse's share below the threshold. Our assessment identifies this risk automatically and recommends the right planning strategy.

Yes, and that is exactly what HeirForge was built for. Mass-market platforms rely on rigid templates that break down the moment a situation gets complicated. HeirForge combines structured data collection with attorney-supervised drafting — the platform handles the heavy lifting, but a licensed attorney reviews every document clause by clause. If your situation is complex, that is where attorney review matters most.

Blended families raise estate planning questions that generic templates routinely get wrong — who inherits when the first spouse dies, how to protect the surviving spouse while also protecting children from a prior marriage, and how to avoid unintended disinheritance. Our assessment identifies blended family situations and recommends appropriate structures, often a trust designed specifically to balance these competing interests. Every provision is reviewed by an attorney who understands the dynamics involved.

Yes. Business ownership adds real complexity — succession planning, buy-sell coordination, valuation for estate tax purposes, and keeping the business out of probate. Our assessment flags business interests and structures your plan accordingly, whether that means a trust, specific bequest provisions, or coordination with existing business agreements. An attorney reviews every business-related provision.

A Special Needs Trust is specifically designed to provide for a beneficiary with a disability without disqualifying them from means-tested benefits like SSI and Medicaid. The trust language is critical — it must comply with both federal and state requirements, and a single drafting error can jeopardize eligibility. HeirForge handles Special Needs Trust creation directly, and an attorney reviews the trust language to make sure it meets all applicable requirements.

US citizens enjoy an unlimited marital deduction for estate tax purposes — you can leave everything to your spouse tax-free. Non-citizen spouses do not get that benefit. Only about $185,000 (adjusted annually) passes tax-free, regardless of your overall exemption amount. The standard solution is a Qualified Domestic Trust (QDOT), which preserves the marital deduction when structured correctly. Our assessment flags non-citizen spouse situations and builds QDOT planning into your estate structure where appropriate.

Cross-border estate planning requires understanding how each country's laws interact — inheritance rules, tax treaties, forced heirship provisions, and whether foreign courts will recognize your US documents. HeirForge handles the US side directly and provides guidance on coordinating with counsel in other jurisdictions. Our cross-border expertise covers families with ties to any foreign country, not just specific regions.

Generally, no. A foreign estate plan is designed for foreign law and foreign assets. Your US assets — bank accounts, real estate, retirement accounts, life insurance — need a US-compliant plan governed by the laws of the state where you live. Most families with ties to another country need coordinated plans in both jurisdictions, each covering the assets in that country.

HeirForge currently serves Texas and New York, with plans to expand to additional states. All documents are drafted in compliance with your specific state's laws and reviewed by an attorney licensed in that state. If your state is not yet listed, you can join our waitlist and we will notify you when we launch in your area.

Yes. Our assessment identifies estates that may face federal or state estate tax and recommends appropriate planning strategies — credit shelter trusts, irrevocable life insurance trusts (ILITs), and other structures designed to minimize tax exposure. For New York residents, we also address the state estate tax cliff, where estates just above the exemption threshold face dramatically higher taxes. All estate tax planning is reviewed by an attorney familiar with current law.

Most online platforms use software alone — no attorney reviews your specific documents. They also decline complex cases: blended families, business interests, cross-border assets, non-citizen spouses, special needs beneficiaries, and most trust structures beyond the basics. HeirForge was built specifically for the situations those platforms cannot handle. Every document is customized to your situation and reviewed clause by clause by a licensed attorney before delivery.