Sources

Every statistic we quote on this site is listed here with the study it came from, so you can check it yourself.

Figures about wills and wealth transfer are survey estimates and vary between sources and years. We cite the more conservative number where estimates differ, and we link the original study rather than a summary of it. If a number can't be sourced, it doesn't go on the site.

[1] Home page
76% of Americans don’t have a will
Caring.com, 2025 Wills and Estate Planning Study — https://www.caring.com/resources/wills-survey
The 2025 study found 24% of respondents had a will, down from 33% in 2022. Other surveys put the figure differently — AARP has reported roughly 60% of adults without a will — so treat this as the range it is.
[2] Home page
$84 trillion expected to pass to the next generation by 2045
Cerulli Associates, U.S. High-Net-Worth and Ultra-High-Net-Worth Markets — https://www.cerulli.com/press-releases/cerulli-anticipates-84-trillion-in-wealth-transfers-through-2045
Cerulli projects $84.4 trillion in transfers through 2045 — $72.6 trillion to heirs and $11.9 trillion to charity. Cerulli has since published a larger projection of $124 trillion through 2048; we cite the more conservative figure.
[3] Home page, About
$70 billion in unclaimed property held by U.S. state treasuries
National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA) — https://unclaimed.org/what-is-unclaimed-property/
NAUPA estimates the property belongs to roughly 33 million people — about one in seven Americans — and that only about 5% of outstanding unclaimed property is claimed each year.
[4] Home page
3–8% of an estate’s value is typically consumed by probate
Policygenius, “How much does probate cost?” — https://www.policygenius.com/wills/how-much-does-probate-cost/
Costs vary widely by state and by whether the estate is contested. This is a typical range, not a fee schedule.

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