Family Estate Guide publishes educational content about estate planning, probate, and trust law across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Because estate planning is a YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) topic — meaning the information can directly affect people’s financial and legal well-being — we hold ourselves to a high standard of accuracy, transparency, and accountability.
This page explains how our content is researched, written, reviewed, and maintained.
Our Research Methodology
Primary sources first
Every state-specific claim on this site is researched from primary authoritative sources. We do not copy or paraphrase content from other blogs, legal marketing sites, or general reference articles. Our research hierarchy is:
- State statutes and codes — The actual laws governing trusts, probate, estate taxes, and related topics in each state
- State government websites — Official court, tax, and administrative agency publications
- State bar association resources — Practice guides, consumer information, and professional standards
- Federal government sources — IRS publications, SSA guidelines, and federal legislation (for estate tax, gift tax, and related federal rules)
- Legal treatises and professional publications — Uniform Trust Code commentary, American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) resources, and National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) publications
When state-specific data (such as probate timelines, attorney fee ranges, or estate tax thresholds) is sourced from professional surveys, bar association reports, or practitioner experience rather than statute, we note this context.
What we verify
For each state page, we independently verify:
- Small estate / simplified probate thresholds
- State estate tax and inheritance tax status and exemption amounts
- Community property vs. common law property classification
- Uniform Trust Code adoption status
- Transfer-on-death deed availability
- Healthcare directive and power of attorney terminology and requirements
- Homestead exemption provisions relevant to trust planning
- State bar association lawyer referral service URLs
Attorney fee ranges
Estate planning attorney fee ranges are among the most-searched and hardest-to-verify data points on this site. Our fee ranges are compiled from state bar association fee surveys (where available), legal aid organization publications, attorney directory self-reported rates, and professional practice management surveys. These ranges represent typical fees for straightforward estate plans and are meant to give families a realistic expectation — not a guarantee. Fees vary significantly based on estate complexity, attorney experience, and geographic location within a state.
How Content Is Written
All content on Family Estate Guide is written by Randy Smith, the site’s founder. Randy is not an attorney — he is an adult son who navigated the estate planning process with his own aging parents and subsequently spent years researching estate planning law across all 50 states to build this resource.
Content reflects both firsthand experience and extensive research. Where personal experience is referenced, it is clearly presented as one family’s experience rather than universal guidance. Where legal concepts are explained, they are sourced from authoritative references and presented as educational information, not legal advice.
Voice and perspective
This site is written from a specific perspective: a family member helping aging parents navigate estate planning. This perspective is our differentiator and is stated transparently throughout the site. We believe that practical, empathetic, plain-English guidance serves families better than clinical or sales-oriented content, and that being honest about who we are — and who we aren’t — builds more trust than false authority.
How Content Is Maintained
Review schedule
Estate planning law changes. State legislatures amend probate codes, tax exemptions adjust annually, and federal law evolves. To keep this site accurate:
- State pages are reviewed at least quarterly and updated whenever relevant state legislation takes effect
- Hub and educational pages are reviewed at least twice annually
- Federal tax figures (estate tax exemption, gift tax annual exclusion, etc.) are updated annually when IRS adjustments are published
- Every page displays a “Last updated” date so you know how current the information is
Pending legislation and alerts
When we become aware of pending state or federal legislation that could affect estate planning in a specific state, we add alert boxes to the relevant pages. These are clearly labeled as pending (not yet enacted) and are updated or removed when the legislation is resolved.
Corrections Policy
We take accuracy seriously. If you find an error on this site — a wrong number, an outdated law, a broken link, or anything else that doesn’t look right — please let us know immediately at randy@familyestateguide.com.
Our corrections process:
- Factual errors are corrected as soon as they are verified, typically within 48 hours of being reported
- Substantive corrections (changes that affect the meaning or guidance on a page) are noted in the page’s “Recent Updates” section with the date and nature of the correction
- Minor corrections (typos, formatting, broken links) are fixed without notation
Disclaimers and Disclosures
Not legal advice
Nothing on this site constitutes legal, financial, or tax advice. Family Estate Guide is an educational resource. Every family’s situation is unique, and estate planning involves state-specific laws that require professional guidance. Always consult with a qualified estate planning attorney in your state before making decisions about your family’s estate plan.
Affiliate relationships
In the future, this site may earn revenue through affiliate partnerships with estate planning attorney referral services. If and when commercial relationships exist, they will be clearly disclosed on the relevant pages. Editorial content is never influenced by commercial relationships — our recommendations and guidance are based solely on what we believe serves families best.
No attorney-client relationship
Using this site, reading its content, or contacting us via email does not create an attorney-client relationship. Randy Smith is not an attorney and does not provide legal services.
Contact Us
Questions about our editorial standards, a correction to report, or feedback on how we can improve? Reach out anytime:
Email: randy@familyestateguide.com
We value accuracy and transparency above all else. If something on this site doesn’t meet that standard, we want to know.
Ready to explore? Start with our complete guide to living trusts, or find your state’s estate planning rules.