LGBTQ+ estate planning that actually protects the people you love
Last updated: November 2026
Marriage equality didn't fix everything. State laws, default beneficiary rules, and biological-family overrides still trip up LGBTQ+ couples and chosen families every day. We coordinate the financial side of an estate plan built for your real life — and quarterback the attorney work so nothing falls through the cracks.
Schedule a free intro callThe defaults were not written for queer families
Without a deliberate estate plan, state intestacy laws decide who inherits your assets, who can make medical decisions, and — in some cases — whether your partner has standing at all. For unmarried partners, chosen family, and parents whose legal relationship to a child rests only on a birth certificate, that is a real risk.
Even married same-sex couples run into edge cases: out-of-state hospital stays, disputes from biological family, retirement-account beneficiaries that were never updated, or kids whose parental rights aren't recognized everywhere you might travel.
Aequitas works alongside an estate-planning attorney to make sure the financial pieces — beneficiaries, titling, tax strategy, and account access — line up with the legal documents you sign.
What an LGBTQ+ estate plan covers
Six pillars we work through with every couple or individual we serve. Some you'll execute with an attorney, some we handle directly, all of them coordinated.
Wills & revocable trusts
The foundation of any LGBTQ+ estate plan — directing assets to your spouse, partner, or chosen family without leaving anything to default state law.
Healthcare directives & HIPAA
Make sure your partner can be in the room, talk to your doctors, and make decisions on your behalf — even when biological family disagrees.
Powers of attorney
Financial and medical POAs that name the people you actually trust, with the durability and scope your situation needs.
Second-parent & confirmatory adoption
Coordinated planning so both parents have legally recognized parental rights in every state — not just the one you live in today.
Beneficiary & titling review
Retirement accounts, life insurance, and property titles override your will. We make sure they all point where you intend.
Estate tax & wealth transfer
For higher-net-worth couples, layered trust strategies that move wealth efficiently and protect against future policy changes.
LGBTQ+ estate planning, common questions
About the advisor
Aequitas Financial was founded by Taylor Bell, a fee-only fiduciary planner. Our work with LGBTQ+ couples and chosen families is the practice — not a side specialty — and every estate-planning engagement is coordinated personally, not handed off.
Level Ground
The playing field isn't level — but level ground starts here.
- Why the financial playing field isn't level for LGBTQ+ families — and how to change that
- The legal and financial protections that put you on equal footing
- How to plan and budget for surrogacy, adoption, and the milestones that matter most
Join 350+ LGBTQ+ professionals taking control of their financial future.
Ready to put protections in place?
On a free intro call we'll walk through what's already in place, where the gaps are, and what an engagement would look like — no pressure.
Schedule Your Intro Call