Your customers are starting to trust AI more than your experts

Trust & Will's 2026 Estate Planning Report, based on a national survey of 5,000 U.S. adults conducted between January and February 2026, indicates a significant reduction in traditional barriers to estate planning. Procrastination as a reason for not having a plan decreased by seven percentage points, lack of information on where to start fell by 10 percentage points, and concerns about cost dropped by nine percentage points compared to the previous year. Despite these reductions, 56% of Americans still lack estate planning documents, a figure that has seen minimal change year-over-year. A notable shift in consumer sentiment reveals that the number of Americans trusting artificial intelligence more than human attorneys for estate planning guidance increased by 10% in one year, rising from 20% to 30%. This trend suggests a move from philosophical concerns about AI making family future decisions to more practical considerations about AI accuracy and data security. The report highlights that while traditional obstacles are diminishing, the growing trust in AI for legal guidance presents a new dynamic in estate planning adoption.