Why 56% of Americans still have no estate plan — and what that means for your practice

The data has been consistent for years. In 2024, Caring.com's annual survey found that 56% of American adults have no will, no trust, and no estate plan of any kind. That number hasn't meaningfully declined in a decade.

Why the number hasn't changed

The most common reason Americans give for not having an estate plan is procrastination — not cost, not access, not complexity. 30% say they "just haven't gotten around to it."

The legal industry doesn't have a demand problem. It has a conversion problem.

What this means for your practice

There are dozens of people within a few miles of your office who have the means, the need, and some intent to get an estate plan — and who haven't done it because no one has made the process easy enough to complete.

• Online intake completed from a phone in under 15 minutes
• No consultation required before pricing is clear
• Online payment at the same time as intake
• Document delivery in days, not weeks