What is the primary document that outlines how a person's estate is to be distributed after death?

A will is the primary document that provides instructions on how an individual's estate and assets are to be distributed after their death. It serves as a legal declaration of the testator's wishes regarding asset distribution, guardianship of minor children, and the appointment of an executor to manage the estate. This document must adhere to specific legal requirements to be valid, such as being written, signed, and often witnessed.

In contrast, a trust is a legal arrangement in which a trustee holds and manages assets for the benefit of another person or group, and is not the primary document for distributing an estate after death. A deed is used to transfer ownership of real property and does not dictate the distribution of an estate. A codicil is an amendment to an existing will, allowing changes to be made without drafting an entirely new will; it is not a primary document on its own. Thus, the will remains the essential document for outlining the distribution of assets upon death.