Estate Planning Glossary

When a specific item left in a will no longer exists at death (it was sold or given away), so the gift simply fails.

FR Caducité d'un legs (ademption)ES Caducidad del legado (ademption)

The person a court appoints to settle an estate when there's no will or no named executor — the court-appointed equivalent of an executor.

FR Administrateur de la successionES Administrador de la sucesión

An umbrella term for documents that state your medical wishes in advance — typically a living will plus a healthcare power of attorney.

FR Directives médicales anticipéesES Directiva anticipada

A second probate proceeding in another state, needed when the deceased owned real estate outside their home state.

FR Homologation accessoireES Sucesión auxiliar

The amount you can give each person every year with no gift-tax filing or impact on your lifetime exemption (it rises over time).

FR Exclusion annuelle des donsES Exclusión anual de donaciones

A financial product that pays out income over time, often in retirement, in exchange for a lump sum or series of payments.

FR RenteES Anualidad (renta)

The person you authorize to act for you under a power of attorney. They need not be a lawyer.

FR Mandataire (fondé de pouvoir)ES Apoderado

A person or organization named to receive money or property — from a will, a trust, a life insurance policy, or a retirement account.

FR BénéficiaireES Beneficiario

The named beneficiary recorded directly on an account (401(k), IRA, life insurance, payable-on-death bank account). It passes the asset directly and overrides your will.

FR Désignation de bénéficiaireES Designación de beneficiario

A gift of personal property or money left to someone in a will.

FR LegsES Legado

A trust used by married couples to pass assets to the surviving spouse while reducing estate tax on the second death.

FR Fiducie de contournementES Fideicomiso de protección fiscal (bypass)

A savings component inside permanent life insurance that grows over time and can be borrowed against.

FR Valeur de rachatES Valor en efectivo

A trust that benefits a charity, often providing income to you or your heirs for a period along with tax advantages.

FR Fiducie de bienfaisanceES Fideicomiso caritativo

A signed, witnessed amendment to an existing will, used to make changes without rewriting the whole document.

FR CodicilleES Codicilo

In nine states, most property acquired during a marriage is owned 50/50 by both spouses, which affects how it's inherited and taxed.

FR Biens de la communautéES Bienes gananciales (community property)

A court arrangement giving someone authority over the finances (and sometimes care) of an adult who can no longer manage on their own. A POA set up in advance usually avoids it.

FR CuratelleES Curatela (tutela de un adulto)

The backup beneficiary who inherits only if the primary beneficiary has died or can't receive the asset.

FR Bénéficiaire subsidiaireES Beneficiario contingente

The amount a life insurance policy pays to the beneficiaries when the insured person dies.

FR Capital-décèsES Beneficio por fallecimiento

The legal term for the person who has died and whose estate is being settled.

FR DéfuntES Causante (fallecido)

Online accounts and digital property — email, photos, social media, crypto, domains — that need a plan for access after death.

FR Actifs numériquesES Activos digitales

A medical order instructing healthcare providers not to perform CPR if your heart or breathing stops.

FR Ordonnance de non-réanimation (DNR)ES Orden de no reanimar (DNR)

A power of attorney that stays in effect even after you become incapacitated — the kind most estate plans use.

FR Procuration durableES Poder duradero

A surviving spouse's legal right to claim a minimum portion of the estate (often one-third to one-half), even if the will leaves them less.

FR Part réservataire du conjointES Porción conyugal (elective share)

When someone dies with no will and no findable heirs, their property passes (escheats) to the state.

FR DéshérenceES Reversión al Estado (escheat)

Everything a person owns at death — money, property, investments, and possessions, minus debts. You have an estate even if you're not wealthy.

FR Succession / patrimoineES Patrimonio (caudal hereditario)

A tax on the total value of a deceased person's estate, paid by the estate before assets are distributed. Only estates above a high threshold owe it.

FR Impôt sur la successionES Impuesto sobre el patrimonio (estate tax)

The person named in a will to carry out its instructions — gathering assets, paying debts, and distributing the estate. Sometimes called a personal representative.

FR Exécuteur testamentaireES Albacea

Someone legally required to act in another person's best interest — an executor, trustee, or agent under a power of attorney all owe fiduciary duties.

FR Fiduciaire (obligation fiduciaire)ES Fiduciario (deber fiduciario)

A small whole-life policy (often $5,000–$25,000) meant to cover a funeral and final bills. Also called burial insurance.

FR Assurance frais funérairesES Seguro de gastos finales

An extra federal tax on assets passed to grandchildren or later generations, designed to prevent skipping a layer of estate tax.

FR Impôt sur les transferts à saut de générationES Impuesto a transferencias con salto generacional (GSTT)

A trust that passes assets to grandchildren (skipping your children) to reduce the layers of estate tax across generations.

FR Fiducie à saut de générationES Fideicomiso con salto generacional

A federal tax on large gifts made during your lifetime. Most people never owe it thanks to the annual exclusion and a high lifetime exemption.

FR Impôt sur les donationsES Impuesto sobre donaciones

The person who creates a trust and puts assets into it. Also called the settlor or trustor.

FR Constituant (de la fiducie)ES Otorgante (fideicomitente)

Life insurance that asks no health questions and can't turn you down — but costs more and usually has a 2–3 year waiting period.

FR Acceptation garantieES Emisión garantizada

A person appointed to care for someone who can't care for themselves — most often minor children named in a parent's will, or an incapacitated adult appointed by a court.

FR Tuteur / tutelleES Tutor / tutela

The person you authorize to make medical decisions for you when you can't. Also called a healthcare agent or healthcare power of attorney.

FR Mandataire de soins de santéES Representante para atención médica

A person legally entitled to inherit when someone dies — under a will, or under state law if there's no will.

FR HéritierES Heredero

A signed release letting named people access your medical information — without it, doctors may not share details even with family.

FR Autorisation HIPAAES Autorización HIPAA

A will written entirely by hand and signed by the person making it. Valid in some states, but easier to challenge.

FR Testament olographeES Testamento ológrafo

A protection in many states that shields some or all of a primary home's value from creditors and can pass it to a surviving spouse.

FR Exemption de résidence principaleES Exención de vivienda familiar (homestead)

An irrevocable trust that owns a life insurance policy so the payout stays outside your taxable estate.

FR Fiducie d'assurance vie irrévocable (ILIT)ES Fideicomiso irrevocable de seguro de vida (ILIT)

A tax paid by the person who inherits, based on what they receive. It exists in only a handful of US states and is separate from estate tax.

FR Impôt sur l'héritageES Impuesto sobre la herencia

Dying without a valid will. When this happens, state law (the rules of intestacy) decides who inherits, not you.

FR Intestat / succession ab intestatES Intestado / sucesión intestada

A trust that generally can't be changed or revoked once created. In exchange for that rigidity, it can offer asset protection and tax benefits.

FR Fiducie irrévocableES Fideicomiso irrevocable

A way of co-owning property where, when one owner dies, their share passes automatically to the surviving owner(s) — outside of probate.

FR Tenance conjointe / gain de survieES Tenencia conjunta / derecho de supervivencia

The formal name for a will — the legal document stating who gets your property and who carries out your wishes after death.

FR Testament (dernières volontés)ES Última voluntad y testamento

An informal, non-legal note left alongside a will covering practical details — account locations, passwords guidance, funeral wishes, and personal messages.

FR Lettre d'instructionsES Carta de instrucciones

The court document authorizing an administrator to settle an estate when there is no will.

FR Lettres d'administrationES Cartas de administración

The court document that officially authorizes an executor to act on behalf of an estate.

FR Lettres d'homologation (exécuteur)ES Cartas testamentarias

A right to use property (usually a home) for the rest of your life, after which it passes automatically to a named 'remainderman.'

FR Usufruit viager (life estate)ES Usufructo vitalicio (life estate)

The total amount you can pass tax-free during life and at death before federal estate/gift tax applies. It's high, so most estates owe nothing.

FR Exemption à vieES Exención vitalicia

A trust you create and control while alive; assets titled into it pass to your beneficiaries without probate. You can change or cancel it any time.

FR Fiducie entre vifs (révocable)ES Fideicomiso en vida (revocable)

A document recording your wishes about end-of-life medical care (life support, resuscitation, comfort care) for when you can't speak for yourself.

FR Testament de vie (directives anticipées)ES Testamento vital (voluntades anticipadas)

A person's closest living relatives, who typically inherit under state law when there is no will.

FR Plus proche parentES Pariente más cercano

A will or trust provision that disinherits anyone who challenges it in court and loses. Also called an in terrorem clause.

FR Clause de non-contestationES Cláusula de no impugnación

A designation on a bank account that passes the balance directly to a named person at death, skipping probate.

FR Payable au décès (POD)ES Pagadero al fallecer (POD)

A way of dividing an inheritance so that if a beneficiary dies before you, their share passes down to their children.

FR Par souche (per stirpes)ES Por estirpe (per stirpes)

The general term for whoever settles an estate — an executor (named in a will) or an administrator (appointed by a court).

FR Représentant successoralES Representante personal

A will used alongside a living trust that 'pours' any assets you forgot to put in the trust into it at death.

FR Testament de transfert (pour-over)ES Testamento de transferencia (pour-over)

A document that lets someone you choose act on your behalf — handling finances (financial POA) or medical decisions (healthcare POA) — while you're alive but unable to act yourself.

FR Procuration (mandat)ES Poder notarial (carta poder)

The court-supervised process of settling someone's estate after they die — validating the will, paying debts, and distributing what's left to the heirs.

FR Probate (homologation)ES Probate (sucesión testamentaria)

A trust often used in second marriages: it provides for a surviving spouse for life, then directs what's left to beneficiaries the first spouse chose (such as their own children).

FR Fiducie QTIPES Fideicomiso QTIP

The person who receives property after a life estate ends — i.e., after the life tenant dies.

FR Nu-propriétaireES Nudo propietario

Whatever is left of an estate after specific gifts, debts, and expenses are paid. A will's 'residuary clause' says who receives it.

FR Reliquat de la successionES Remanente hereditario

A notarized statement signed by the will's witnesses so the court can accept the will without tracking them down later.

FR Affidavit d'auto-validationES Declaración de autovalidación

A simplified, faster alternative to full probate available in most states when an estate's value falls under a set threshold.

FR Déclaration de petite successionES Declaración jurada de patrimonio pequeño

A trust that holds assets for a person with a disability without disqualifying them from means-tested government benefits.

FR Fiducie pour personne handicapéeES Fideicomiso para personas con discapacidad

A trust that limits a beneficiary's access to the funds and shields them from the beneficiary's creditors — useful for heirs who struggle with money.

FR Fiducie de protection (spendthrift)ES Fideicomiso de protección (spendthrift)

A power of attorney that only takes effect ('springs' into action) when a specified event occurs, usually your incapacity.

FR Procuration à effet différéES Poder de efecto diferido

When you inherit an asset, its tax 'basis' resets to its value at the owner's death — often wiping out capital-gains tax on prior growth.

FR Réévaluation de la base (step-up)ES Revalorización de la base (step-up)

A form of joint ownership for married couples (in some states) with survivorship rights and added creditor protection.

FR Propriété par l'entièretéES Tenencia por la totalidad

Co-ownership where each owner has a distinct share that passes through their own will or estate at death — it does NOT automatically go to the co-owner.

FR Indivision (tenancy in common)ES Copropiedad por cuotas (tenancy in common)

Life insurance that covers you for a set period (e.g., 20 years) and pays out only if you die during it. The cheapest way to get a large death benefit.

FR Assurance vie temporaireES Seguro de vida a término

The mental ability to make a valid will — understanding what you own and who your heirs are. Lack of it is a common ground for contesting a will.

FR Capacité de testerES Capacidad testamentaria

A trust created by a will that only comes into existence after death — often used to hold an inheritance for minor children until they reach a set age.

FR Fiducie testamentaireES Fideicomiso testamentario

The person who makes a will.

FR TestateurES Testador

Like payable-on-death, but for investment/brokerage accounts (and, in some states, vehicles and real estate). Passes directly to a named beneficiary.

FR Transférable au décès (TOD)ES Transferible al fallecer (TOD)

The person or institution that manages a trust's assets and carries out its terms for the beneficiaries.

FR Fiduciaire (administrateur)ES Fiduciario (administrador del fideicomiso)

Improper pressure on someone making a will or gift, overriding their free choice — another common reason wills get challenged.

FR Influence indueES Influencia indebida

Permanent life insurance that lasts your whole life and builds cash value, at a much higher premium than term.

FR Assurance vie entièreES Seguro de vida entera