Gap widens as estate planning lags across generations

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More than half of American adults (56%) don’t have any estate planning documents — despite 73% saying it’s important.

That’s according to a survey of 5,000 people conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Trust & Will (https://trustandwill.com/learn/the-sandwich-gap).

Results showed that, while the majority of adults (73%) say estate planning is important to them, just 26% actually have a will in place.

And the levels of preparation don’t always correlate with age. Sandwiched between aging parents and their own kids, Gen X is actually the least protected generation in America.

Defined as “The Sandwich Gap”, 62% of Gen X said they have zero estate planning documents, leaving them more unprotected than Gen Z (54%), Millennials (58%) or Baby Boomers (48%).

Trust & Will’s 2026 Estate Planning Report (https://trustandwill.com/learn/estate-planning-report-2026) is a part of an ongoing yearly analysis into estate planning in America and how preparation and thinking around legacies is changing.

Cody Barbo, Co-founder and CEO at Trust & Will said: “Our research this year highlights a significant gap between intention and action when it comes to estate planning. Despite the vast majority recognizing the importance of having a will or other essentially estate planning documents, 56% have been unable to take important steps to making it happen.

“It’s particularly striking that Gen X are the least likely to be protected as the group that navigates a lot of financial complexity with kids, mortgages, aging parents and retirement planning,” Barbo continued “It’s often thought that the older generations are those that need to act but it’s so important that those in their forties and fifties can be enabled to properly protect their legacy and loved ones.”

The lack of preparation has practical implications: 42% of Americans say they wouldn’t know what to do if a family member died today. That figure jumps to 56% among those with no documents at all.

Perhaps most surprising is who else is flying without a safety net as 68% of people in serious or engaged relationships have no estate planning documents. Surprisingly, that’s a higher unprotected rate than divorced, separated or widowed Americans (55%).

The top reason Americans give for not having a plan is believing they don’t have enough assets (27%), while procrastination and simply not getting around to it have contributed to delays for 23%.

Intimidating factors like simply not knowing where to start (17%), fearing the expense (15%) or finding the entire process too complicated (12%) were other common barriers.

Understandably, many (8%) said not wanting to have uncomfortable conversations was a big part of their not yet having a will or trust in 2026.

Barbo added: “The number one reason people give for not having an estate plan is that they don’t think they have enough assets. But what having a plan really does is ensure the people you choose are the ones acting for you if you can’t. It’s less about what’s in your bank account and more about protecting the people you love.”

TOP REASONS AMERICANS DON’T HAVE A WILL OR ESTATE PLAN

(Respondents could select multiple reasons; percentages will not total 100%)

Don’t think they have enough assets — 27%
Haven’t gotten around to it — 23%
Don’t know where to start — 17%
Feels too expensive — 15%
Feels too complicated — 12%
Feels uncomfortable to think about — 12%
Don’t think it’s relevant for people like me — 11%
Don’t want to have uncomfortable conversations with family — 8%

Survey methodology

Talker Research surveyed 5,000 general population Americans who have access to the internet; the survey was commissioned by Trust & Will. and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between Jan. 28 and Feb. 5, 2026.

To view the complete methodology as part of AAPOR’s Transparency Initiative, please visit the Talker Research Process and Methodology page.

Survey questions

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