Comparisons on this site are decision aids. They do not rank companies, lawyers, forms, or documents and do not declare one option universally better.
Comparison criteria
- Function: what decision or transfer the option can and cannot control.
- Authority: who may act, when authority begins, and how it is proved.
- Evidence: the signed, recorded, accepted, or filed record needed for the choice to work.
- Jurisdiction: which state's law, court, agency, or contract supplies the rule.
- Cost and administration: creation, maintenance, filing, professional, tax, and exit costs.
- Failure and exit risk: what happens if the option is unfunded, rejected, outdated, disputed, revoked, or no longer suitable.
How to read a table
Start with the row matching your decision. Treat each cell as a question to verify, not a promise. The governing instrument, ownership record, provider confirmation, official instructions, and professional advice control over the summary.
Commercial neutrality
Comparisons are not influenced by paid placement, affiliate compensation, or referral fees. See the advertising disclosure.