Frequently Asked Questions
Understanding Estate Planning
What is a will?
A will is a legal document that outlines how your assets should be distributed after your death. A will may also cover other important topics such as the care of your children or pets. Having a will helps you ensure that the people you love receive the items that mean the most.
Do I need a will?
Yes, absolutely. Having a will greatly simplifies a complex legal process that occurs after death. Without one, the state decides how your assets are distributed — and that decision may not reflect your wishes, your relationships, or your values.
Why should I care about this now? I’m young!
Many people mistakenly believe that wills are only for the elderly or wealthy. But the truth is that even young adults have personal or sentimental belongings that they would like to leave to loved ones. If you have a bank account, a car, a pet, or anything you’d want to go to a specific person, you have a reason to have one.
There’s also no downside to preparing a will early. You can always update it at a later date if circumstances change. And the earlier you create it, the easier it is to update as your life evolves.
Preparing for your own death…isn’t that kind of morbid?
We understand why it could feel that way. But having a will isn’t really about death — it’s about taking care of the people you love. It means no one’s left guessing, no one’s left fighting, and your wishes are honored when it matters most. We built Trove to help people easily take care of the people who matter to you.
How is Trove different from other services?
Unlike many traditional estate planning services with layered pricing, upsells, and add-ons, Trove offers a straightforward flat-fee model. The entire process is built and reviewed by attorneys to be completed online for a more convenient and transparent experience.
What happens if someone dies without a will?
If a person dies without a will, a judge will decide how that person’s estate will be distributed in a process known as probate. The court distributes assets according to guidelines set by state law rather than personal wishes, which may not reflect what the person intended. That means your assets may not go to the people you intended, and your friends and family may be left navigating a legal process during an already painful time.
What is probate?
Probate is the legal process that settles a person’s estate after they pass away. During probate, a state court validates the will, appoints someone to manage the estate (executor), makes sure debts and taxes are paid, and oversees how assets are distributed.
It sounds orderly, and it can be. But probate is also time-consuming, public, and often expensive. A well-drafted will helps move the process along and makes sure your wishes aren’t left up to interpretation.
Does having a will avoid probate?
No — a will doesn’t bypass probate, it guides it. A state court still has to validate the will, give your executor legal authority to act, and oversee how assets are distributed. A clear, well-drafted will makes probate smoother and helps make sure your wishes aren’t left up to interpretation.