The quiet but critical benefit that protects employees, reduces burnout, and supports families during their hardest moments.

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Employee benefits have gone through a dramatic transformation in the last decade.
The modern employer no longer competes on compensation alone — they compete on support, stability, life readiness, protection, and humanity.

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Mental health? Now standard.
Financial wellness? Expected.
Caregiver support? Increasingly essential.
Life insurance? Table stakes.

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But one benefit has quietly remained overlooked, despite being one of the most impactful, universal, and underprovided protections for employees:

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Estate planning.

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And yet, estate planning touches everything HR cares about:

• Employee mental health
• Productivity and presenteeism
• Absenteeism after loss
• Family financial stability
• Holistic well-being
• DEI considerations
• Retention
• Organizational trust

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In today’s workplace, estate planning isn’t a luxury.
It’s a modern necessity — and one employees desperately need help with.

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This article breaks down why estate planning is now a must-have benefit, the business case behind it, and how employers can roll it out with zero administrative burden.

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1. Estate Planning Is the Most Overdue Benefit in HR

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And the data is staggering.

Despite being one of the most important life responsibilities, 67% of Americans have no will and shockingly few have any kind of estate plan.

According to Caring.com and Gallup:

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• 63% of parents with minor children do not have a will
• Estate planning rates have declined over the last 10 years
• Most employees don’t know where to start or can’t afford attorney fees
• The average estate attorney costs $1,500–$4,000 — far out of reach for most families

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And yet…

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• Every employee will experience a death in the family
• 1 in 2 will eventually serve as an executor
• Every employee has assets, accounts, digital property, and loved ones
• Every employee will leave behind something that must be handled

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This makes estate planning one of the highest-need but least accessible benefits in the modern HR stack.

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2. Estate Planning Directly Impacts Vulnerable Employee Groups

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Estate planning is not a benefit “for older workers.”
It disproportionately impacts some of the most underserved groups in the workplace:

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Parents with young children

The people who need guardianship plans most are the least likely to have them.

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Single parents

They bear a double burden: guardianship + financial arrangements.

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Employees without family nearby

Estate clarity is essential for cross-state or immigrant families.

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LGBTQ+ employees

Without clear documents, partners may be excluded from medical or financial decisions.

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Employees in blended families

Stepchildren, co-parenting, prior marriages — all require structured planning.

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First-gen professionals

Many are supporting extended families and need simple, affordable tools.

Estate planning is a DEI and wellness issue, not just a legal one.

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3. Unplanned Loss Creates Real Workplace Impact

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HR feels the consequences even when employees don’t realize it.

When employees face a sudden loss or are forced into estate responsibilities without preparation, the impact on work is significant:

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• Absenteeism surges
  Employees spend weeks handling arrangements, paperwork, and logistics.
• Presenteeism increases
  They return to work physically but not mentally — affecting quality and productivity.
• Burnout spikes
  The emotional toll without proper support can linger for months.
• HR workload increases
  Teams become de facto grief-support coordinators and benefit navigators.

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Even one unplanned family loss can disrupt multiple employees across a team.

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Estate planning, done early, reduces the overwhelm and stabilizes both the employee and the organization.

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4. Employees Want Benefits That Reduce Stress, Not Just Add-ons

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In 2024, SHRM reported that employees value protection benefits nearly as much as salary increases.

What HR teams hear again and again:

“I don’t need more perks. I need support that actually helps my family.”

Estate planning is one of the few benefits that:

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• helps every employee
• reduces long-term stress
• improves family financial outcomes
• protects children
• aligns with employer wellness goals
• lowers the burden during crisis

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It is universal, unlike fertility, education, or pet benefits.
Every employee has:

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• someone they love
• something they own
• decisions they would want honored

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And every employee benefits from clarity.

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5. Estate Planning Improves Productivity and Reduces Time Off

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This is where estate planning becomes not just a “nice to have” but a business advantage.

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When an employee has a plan:

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• their family knows what to do
• their executor has clarity
• paperwork is dramatically reduced
• decisions are simplified
• HR doesn’t become the first line of support
• time away from work is shorter
• the emotional burden is lighter

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Compare that to the opposite:

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When an employee has no plan:

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• families are overwhelmed
• decisions cause conflict
• paperwork takes weeks
• employees take longer leave
• colleagues pick up the slack
• performance dips
• HR becomes involved in crisis navigation

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Having clarity reduces the chaos — and chaos is expensive.

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6. Estate Planning Strengthens Financial Wellness Benefits

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Companies spend millions on:

• retirement plans
• financial coaching
• HSA incentives
• student loan reimbursement

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But without estate planning, employees often leave behind:

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• inaccessible accounts
• unclaimed benefits
• overlooked insurance
• assets tied up in probate
• digital property lost forever

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Estate planning completes the financial wellness picture.

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A well-executed plan ensures that:

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• assets actually reach beneficiaries
• accounts aren’t frozen
• families don’t face unnecessary hardship
• financial progress isn’t undone at the worst possible time

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Estate planning is the final mile of financial wellness — and the most neglected.

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7. Offering Estate Planning Is a Powerful Trust Signal

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Employees rarely forget when employers invest in benefits that support their families and their future.

Estate planning communicates:

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• “We care about your life, not just your work.”
• “We support you through difficult moments.”
• “We want your family to be protected.”
• “Your well-being matters beyond the office.”

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In an era where employees increasingly choose employers based on values and support, this is a competitive differentiator.

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8. The Employer Rollout Is Shockingly Simple

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Historically, estate planning benefits were complicated — attorneys, notaries, paperwork, liability concerns.

But modern platforms like EverAfter have eliminated the complexity.

With EverAfter:

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• No legal appointments
• No attorney coordination
• No PDFs or paperwork
• No involvement from HR
• No private data shared with employers
• No ongoing admin work

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Employers simply:

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1. Activate the benefit
2. Share a code
3. Let EverAfter handle onboarding, support, and care

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It’s zero burden for HR and high value for employees.

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9. Estate Planning Compassionately Supports Employees Through Loss

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Employees will experience loss.

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Teams will experience loss.

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Organizations will experience loss.

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The question is whether employees face those moments alone — or with support.

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EverAfter doesn’t just help employees create a plan.

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It helps them and their families navigate grief, next steps, and decisions through:

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• guided will creation
• secure messaging
• funeral planning resources
• executor support
• beneficiary clarity
• claims support
• compassionate care options

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This is an extension of the modern EAP — one designed for one of life’s hardest moments.

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Conclusion: Estate Planning Is the Next Essential Employee Benefit

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The modern employer invests in benefits that:

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• improve employee well-being
• reduce stress
• support families
• ease HR workload
• protect productivity
• build trust
• create real life impact

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Estate planning checks every box.

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It is universal.

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It is meaningful.

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It is affordable.

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It is urgently needed.

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It is long overdue.

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Companies that offer estate planning aren't just providing a perk — they are demonstrating compassion, leadership, and forward-thinking care.

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And platforms like EverAfter finally make it simple.