Gen Z single women are buying homes. I need an estate plan

The number of women in their 20s buying homes is increasing, according to a new study. They may want to consider combining the purchase with another financial task: creating an estate plan.

More than one-third (35%) of Gen Z homebuyers are single women, according to the National Association of Realtors’ 2026 Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends Report. This report is based on transactions conducted from July 2024 to June 2025. Gen Z buyers were between 18 and 26 years old.

This is up from 30% a year ago and is the highest of any age group, the study shows. It’s also nearly double the 18% of Gen Z buyers who are single men.

Financial advisors say these new homeowners may have bought what could be their biggest asset yet and haven’t taken steps to protect it yet.

Estate planning is also part of that consideration. Simply put, this is a set of legal documents detailing what you want to happen to your assets, including your home, when you die, and who is authorized to make decisions on your behalf if you become incapacitated at any earlier point in time.

“People rarely think about it…but the vast majority buy a home and then immediately go back to working 40 or 50 hours a week,” says Jeff Judge, a certified financial planner and managing partner of Chesapeake Financial Planners in Forest Hill, Maryland.

Single women have long been a higher percentage of homeowners than single men, but that gap is narrowing, according to the Pew Research Center. Of the approximately 35.2 million homes owned by unmarried Americans in 2022, women owned 58%, compared to 42% for men, the group said. This compares to 64% and 36% respectively in 2000.

However, according to Trust & Will’s 2026 Estate Planning Report, 60% of women do not have estate planning documentation in place, compared to 50% of men. And 16% of all single people have a will, an important estate planning document, compared to 37% of married people.

At the same time, homeownership can help facilitate estate planning. According to the Trust & Will report, 40% of homeowners have a will, compared to 16% of renters.

For single homeowners, a will is usually a document that specifies who will inherit your home if you pass away. If you die without a will (called intestacy) or if you fail to name an heir to your home, state law determines who inherits your property.

“Make sure you at least have a will,” the judge said. “This ensures that if something happens, the home goes to the person you want it to go to.”

Note that assets listed in a will are generally subject to probate. This is the process of liquidating someone’s estate and includes validating the will in court, paying taxes and debts, and distributing assets to heirs.

Accounts that allow you to designate a beneficiary (such as retirement accounts, health savings accounts, life insurance, and annuities) typically send money directly to that beneficiary, avoiding probate, the judge said.

In the case of residential properties, ownership of the property can be established under multiple names. This can help joint buyers, but if you’re single you’ll end up sharing ownership. However, he said that in some states, you may be able to attach a legal document to the deed that transfers the home directly to your heirs and bypasses probate.

Alternatively, depending on the circumstances, trust may be reasonable. Some people place their home or other assets that may be subject to probate in a revocable living trust. This allows you to manage your assets during your lifetime and pass them directly to your intended beneficiaries without going through probate.

In any case, it may not be wise to try to leave your home to multiple heirs.

“I strongly recommend that you don’t give your home to more than one person,” said CFP Alex Caswell, founder of Wealth Script Advisors in San Francisco. “This is a difficult asset to divide, and disagreements about how it should be handled can cause confusion.”

You can also state in your will that you want to sell your home and pass the proceeds to your heirs, Caswell said.

Part of estate planning considers things other than death, but it can still help protect your home. For example, you should give someone you trust power of attorney to manage your finances in case you become incapacitated at any time due to accident or illness.

This person can access your bank account and pay your bills, including your mortgage.

“They won’t have access unless they have legal documentation showing they have access,” said CFP Eric Roberge, founder of Beyond Your Hammock in Boston.

It’s also wise to give someone health care power of attorney so they can make medical decisions for you if you are unable to do so, he said.

Additionally, Roberge says it’s worth purchasing long-term disability insurance to protect your income. Typically, these policies will replace a portion of your income if you are unable to work for an extended period of time due to injury or illness.

“This is the least recognized but extremely important insurance for working generations,” he said. “Having insurance to pay your bills even if you can’t work is important, especially if you own a home.”