MyPrivateTrust Editorial Policy
Our standards for researching, writing, and maintaining educational estate-planning content.
Educational Notice: MyPrivateTrust.com provides educational information and document-preparation tools. It is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Laws vary by state. Consider consulting a licensed attorney for advice about your individual circumstances. Read full disclaimer.
How educational material is researched
Our content is prepared from publicly available legal and government sources, including state statutes, the Internal Revenue Service, and official court resources. We describe general legal concepts in plain English and link to primary sources so readers can verify them.
How statutes are checked
State-specific notes reference the controlling statute or code section where available. Statutory citations are point-in-time references; legislatures amend and renumber codes regularly. We recommend readers confirm the current text through official state repositories.
How state-specific information is handled
Estate and probate law varies by state. We maintain a jurisdiction layer and ask users to select their state before producing state-specific workflows. We do not assume one state's law applies to everyone, and we do not generate state pages by simply swapping a state name into a template.
How updates are made
Substantive articles display a "Last reviewed" date and, where applicable, a next scheduled review. Material is reviewed periodically and when significant legal changes come to our attention.
How corrections are handled
If you believe an article contains an error, please contact us with the specific issue and a source. We review reported errors promptly and update affected content.
Use of AI-assisted content
Some material is drafted or organized with the assistance of automated tools. AI-assisted content is reviewed for clarity and accuracy before publication, and every article is educational information — not legal advice. We do not represent that any attorney has reviewed a particular article unless a named, licensed attorney is credited on that page.
Reporting an error
Readers can report a factual or citation error through our contact page. Please include the article URL, the specific statement, and a supporting source.
Reviewed for educational accuracy
Last reviewed: September 30, 2026 · Next scheduled review: March 2027
This article is educational information and is not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction. No attorney has reviewed this material unless a named, licensed attorney is credited above.
Sources & References
This article was prepared using publicly available legal and government sources. Laws change, and readers should verify current rules in their jurisdiction.