20 Best Book On Estate Planning (2023 Update)

No nonsense estate planning! "estate planning may be described as the process of providing for the future management of your affairs should the time come when you are unable to do so yourself. it is also the means by which you arrange your affairs in a manner that will maximize the value of your estate passing to your desired beneficiaries following your death." ✔ have property managed during incapacity. ✔ understand how to distribute assets. ✔ learn about taxes. ✔ discover how to avoid probate. ✔ learn about property management for minors.

What if you get hit by a bus? if something unexpected happened to you (like getting hit by a bus), where does that leave your loved ones? you've got to take care of the "big stuff" now. estate planning is best done when it is not an emergency. if it's urgent, you've waited too long. – is your family protected and informed? the bus list's three easy-to-follow sections are all about getting your own bus list written. it cuts through the legal rigmarole and helps you get done what needs to get done: body – detail any last requests, including arrangements – brains – appoint individuals to represent you – bling – pass along your most valued assets seamlessly and inexpensively – each section of the bus list-body, brains and bling-ends with a "next steps" checklist. complete each applicable step, execute the appropriate documents and you're done. your last best gift – your bus list makes it easier on your loved ones during a time of great sorrow and grieving. everything they need to know, like last arrangements, location of important documents, and access to assets is right there in one place. compiling your own bus list is one of the kindest, most thoughtful gifts you can bestow on your surviving loved ones. be sure and make it your last, best gift. – part i of the bus list was written with busy folks in mind who want to get their own estate plan in place as quickly and easily as possible. more estate planning – after completing part i and writing your own bus list, take a deep breath and consider delving into other important estate planning topics in part ii: location of your bus list – estate liquidity – federal estate and gift tax – state estate, gift, and inheritance tax – community property vs common law states – should i hire an attorney? easy-to-understand language – as far as confusing legal terms go, i apologize in advance for using some of them, but there is no getting around it. to help, i've compiled a comprehensive glossary of those nasty words, where you'll find easy-to-understand and at times humorous definitions that will add to your breadth of understanding. you'll find it way more useful and entertaining than your dictionary. – i publish electronic and print-on-demand books for a reason: it's the only way to deliver the latest information to you, which has been changing a lot lately. i stay on top of things and update all my financial planning-related books, including this one, whenever necessary. – remember, estate planning is best done when there is no urgency. get started on your own bus list now. don't procrastinate any longer. scroll to the top of the page and click the "buy" button. once you've got your bus list written, you'll sleep a bit easier at night knowing you've got you've got the big stuff covered.

Death and taxes are what most people are planning for in traditional estate plans, but this type of planning does nothing to protect your family from the things that are actually destroying america's wealth and health. learn why modern estate planning is more about asset protection than ever before. scott's asset protection seminars inspired this unique highly praised book. with this book you'll discover how to protect: * your assets from devastating healthcare costs! * your estate from changes in the tax law! * yourself and your spouse from predators! * your family from remarriages and divorces! * your grandchildren from losing their inheritance! * see the author reed scott in his live online trust and asset protection workshops series, register at the firm youngman ericsson scott llp for your invitation

Learn how to prepare your estate and settle the estates of loved ones. what needs to be done at the death of a loved one? there are four basic steps that must be followed. first is the arrangements for burial or cremation. then the assets of the deceased have to be inventoried, followed by getting all debts paid and legal requirements met, followed by distributing the assets to the people who are supposed to get them according to the person’s will, trust, or state law. the job can be daunting, expensive, and time-consuming; especially if the deceased had not made proper plans for their estate by setting up a will or trust beforehand. settling a person’s estate is something most people, other than lawyers, have never done. help is right here in settling estates for everyone. this book is a guide for those responsible for wrapping up the personal and financial affairs of the deceased. it is a resource identifying the steps that may need to be taken prior to and after a person’s death, and a practical guide to assist those who must deal with asset collection and disposition, tax and legal issues, applying for benefits such as social security, life insurance, veterans benefits, debts, dealing with issues involving minor children and employment benefit plans. with this book as a guide, the process of administering and wrapping up a deceased’s estate will be much simpler.

Practical guide to estate planning provides an overview of estate planning, offering the widest discussion on planning principles and tools from the simple to the sophisticated. this book is not lacking in detail, as witnessed by its well-annotated collection of forms that will appeal to many experienced estate planners. the layout of this book reflects its emphasis on simplicity and clarity. its scope includes a general overview of the estate planning process. it then addresses the rules involved in estate planning and the various ways in which estates may be structured to achieve desired tax effects. it goes on to discuss gifts, and some of the more specialized areas of estate planning, including generation-skipping transfer tax rules and charitable planning, which encompass the use of private foundations and split-interest trusts. finally, practical guide to estate planning contains a set of estate planning forms. included are a living trust, an irrevocable life insurance trust, an annual exclusion trust, a pour-over will, a will with outright dispositions, a codicil, a living will, a charitable remainder unitrust, a durable power of attorney, a health care proxy, a qualified personal residence trust (qprt) and a grantor retained annuity trust (grat). the authors provide alternative drafting options as well as comprehensive annotations that can be used as quick references that explain why and how these devices operate. this reference, with its wealth of basic information as well as its impressive assortment of forms and supporting materials, offers something of interest for everyone. its clarity and organization, augmented by well-constructed examples, practice tips, diagrams and charts, make it a work that will be useful to both the newcomer and the experienced practitioner in the field. the 2021 edition addresses the rules involved in estate planning, the various ways in which estates may be structured to achieve desired tax effects, and a new section discussing deductibility of cash gifts to public charities under the coronavirus (covid-19) legislation. in addition, the chapter entitled "estate planning with retirement benefits" contains complete coverage of the secure act.

Prepare your estate documents with peerless legal's "estate planning organizer," that will allow you to organize your estate records without a headache. this book is perfect for those who wish to structure their estate records so that they can keep better track of all of the important information in their lives. having a structure to your record keeping will help you save time and provide a system to your thinking. with easy to fill in blanks, organizing your estate records has never been easier.

You can’t take it with you, but you can ensure that what you leave behind has value and meaning. whether you want the fruits of your life’s work to benefit your family, the environment, science, human rights, the arts, your church, or another cause dear to you, one thing is certain: it won’t happen unless you plan. with her trademark practical wisdom, downsizing expert marni jameson offers plenty of comfort (and even some laughs) as she guides you through the following: identifying whom you want to benefit from your legacynavigating wills, trusts, and other paths to your goalsheading off potential family conflictsmaking the best plan for your material assets this book will encourage and inspire you through every step of your final downsizing project, helping you make a positive impact on the people and causes closest to your heart.

Too many people think that a will is all the "estate planning" they need. yet wills often fail to take into account the majority of a client's assets. wills do not govern assets passing by beneficiary designations, such as ira's, life insurance and annuities. furthermore, clients are increasingly using pod (pay on death), tod (transfer on death) and itf (in trust for) designations to entirely bypass the will and the antiquated probate system. as a result, in many cases the bulk of a client's estate is actually "unplanned", except to avoid probate. absent a plan for disability, the state has written a plan called "guardianship". in guardianship proceedings a judge chooses who will handle your legal, financial and sometimes even medical affairs if you become disabled.elder law estate planning avoids guardianship proceedings – virtually guaranteeing you will get the person or persons you choose to handle your affairs if you become disabled – usually one or more of your adult children, instead of a state appointed guardian.with the high costs of nursing homes today, clients who don't plan for disability to protect their assets risk losing everything they've worked for." elder law estate planning" emphasizes the use of trusts rather than wills to solve the myriad legal problems arising from disability and death. "elder law" is disability planning to put the people you choose in charge and to protect some or all of your assets from long-term care costs. "estate planning" is death planning to make sure your assets go to whom you want, when you want and the way you want. estate planning includes protecting assets from children's divorces, lawsuits and creditors, and from a spouse's possible remarriage while keeping those assets "in the blood" for generations to come.

A favorite classroom prep tool of successful students that is often recommended by professors, the examples & explanations (e&e) series provides an alternative perspective to help you understand your casebook and in-class lectures. each e&e offers hypothetical questions complemented by detailed explanations that allow you to test your knowledge of the topics in your courses and compare your own analysis. here's why you need an e&e to help you study throughout the semester: clear explanations of each class topic, in a conversational, funny style. it offers coverage that works with all the major casebooks, and suits any class on a given topic. the examples & explanations series has been ranked the most popular study aid among law students because it is equally as helpful from the first day of class through the final exam.

Designed to be used in an academic program, estate planning and taxation presents a concise, integrated overview, highlighting the essence of concepts without confusing the reader with every technical qualification and reference – a problem which has impaired the readability of many books in the field.

Finally, an estate planning guide for californians every californian's guide to estate planning helps you understand the basics of leaving money and property to loved ones and charities, and naming a guardian for children–with a special focus on issues unique to making an estate plan in california, like: how community property rules affect inheritance and taxes how to minimize capital gains for those inheriting high value real estate legal and tax rules that apply to non-citizens and u.s. permanent residents important issues for international guardians, trustees, and executors how to make sure your heirs don't lose a low ("prop 13") property tax rate, and how to avoid california's slow and expensive probate system through options such as transfer-on-death deeds. with downloadable worksheets — includes access to essential worksheets that help you get started on writing a will, preparing a trust, choosing a guardian, leaving money to kids, naming beneficiaries, choosing agents for your health care directive and power of attorney for finances, doing a personal inventory, and more.

Finally, an estate planning guide for californians every californian's guide to estate planning helps you understand the basics of leaving money and property to loved ones and charities, and naming a guardian for children–with a special focus on issues unique to making an estate plan in california, like: how community property rules affect inheritance and taxes how to minimize capital gains for those inheriting high value real estate legal and tax rules that apply to non-citizens and u.s. permanent residents important issues for international guardians, trustees, and executors how to make sure your heirs don't lose a low ("prop 13") property tax rate, and how to avoid california's slow and expensive probate system through options such as transfer-on-death deeds. with downloadable worksheets — includes access to essential worksheets that help you get started on writing a will, preparing a trust, choosing a guardian, leaving money to kids, naming beneficiaries, choosing agents for your health care directive and power of attorney for finances, doing a personal inventory, and more.

If you are concerned about estate planning you may be surprised that, even with a will, the probate system can eat up as much as 10 percent of an inheritance and delay the process two years. in the living trust, noted living trust authority henry abts presents a simple, inexpensive legal alternative that eliminates the costs and delays of probate and ensures that your loved ones will receive their inheritance promptly and exactly as you intended. this new edition has been completely updated to reflect the federal tax codes and up-to-the-minute developments in the legal system.

Too many people make the wrong choices when it comes to estate planning. if it's not done properly, you could leave your loved ones facing trouble when you pass away or become incapacitated. fortunately, you can learn from others' mistakes and be prepared before speaking to a lawyer about your future. in this no-nonsense guide, attorney james l. cunningham, jr. shows how to avoid the top-ten mistakes that could damage your financial succession, family, heirs, and legacy. you'll get the unvarnished picture on probate, living trusts, living wills, powers of attorney, conservatorships and guardians, as well as disability and incapacity planning-and how to find the right attorney for you! the only mistake you could make now would be to ignore it.

This book provides a helpful introduction to the basics of estate planning. it is written with an eye toward the needs of general practitioners and those who are seeking to develop a specialty in the estate-planning field. for this reason, the text is written in a user-friendly manner that provides basic text treatment of the subject along with cautions, examples, and planning pointers clearly denoted throughout the book. the cautions point out problem areas that must be considered to avoid an unwanted tax or other problem. the examples supplement the text and illustrate the point being discussed. the planning pointers show how to use the tax laws to benefit the tax and other planning needs of clients.

This title is a mine of information and expertise packed with valuable practice tips; this is the most current and comprehensive single-volume estate planning resource available. providing theoretical grounding and a practice-oriented approach, price and donaldson show how to handle the full range of estate planning problems and techniques.

Anyone with assets and heirs needs a will to determine what will happen to their property and plan for the welfare of their children should they pass away unexpectedly. as people age, they tend to think more seriously about having a will and planning their estates, to help their heirs, and to give them the maximum amount of money possible. this book makes it easy to understand all the issues surrounding estates, and to draft a will. this book covers: – an introduction to the important concepts of estate planning and vital information on how to get started on a plan. – valuing your property and assets, including businesses and self-employment issues. – getting the most from life insurance, pensions, and retirement savings. – creating a will and trusts, and learning how probate works. – looking after minor children in the event of your death, planning for special situations such as divorce and bankruptcy, and avoiding family feuds over inheritance. – everything you need to know about taxes: estate, gift, state and federal income—and how to ensure that your heirs receive the assets you have intended for them. – planning for retirement, including social security benefits, power of attorney, and health care directives.

Anyone with assets and heirs needs a will to determine what will happen to their property and plan for the welfare of their children should they pass away unexpectedly. as people age, they tend to think more seriously about having a will and planning their estates, to help their heirs, and to give them the maximum amount of money possible. this book makes it easy to understand all the issues surrounding estates, and to draft a will. this book covers: – an introduction to the important concepts of estate planning and vital information on how to get started on a plan. – valuing your property and assets, including businesses and self-employment issues. – getting the most from life insurance, pensions, and retirement savings. – creating a will and trusts, and learning how probate works. – looking after minor children in the event of your death, planning for special situations such as divorce and bankruptcy, and avoiding family feuds over inheritance. – everything you need to know about taxes: estate, gift, state and federal income—and how to ensure that your heirs receive the assets you have intended for them. – planning for retirement, including social security benefits, power of attorney, and health care directives.

Practical guide to estate planning provides an overview of estate planning, offering the widest discussion on planning principles and tools from the simple to the sophisticated. this book is not lacking in detail, as witnessed by its well-annotated collection of forms that will appeal to many experienced estate planners. the layout of this book reflects its emphasis on simplicity and clarity. its scope includes a general overview of the estate planning process. it then addresses the rules involved in estate planning and the various ways in which estates may be structured to achieve desired tax effects. it goes on to discuss gifts, and some of the more specialized areas of estate planning, including generation-skipping transfer tax rules and charitable planning, which encompass the use of private foundations and split-interest trusts. finally, practical guide to estate planning contains a set of estate planning forms. included are a living trust, an irrevocable life insurance trust, an annual exclusion trust, a pour-over will, a will with outright dispositions, a codicil, a living will, a charitable remainder unitrust, a durable power of attorney, a health care proxy, a qualified personal residence trust (qprt) and a grantor retained annuity trust (grat). the authors provide alternative drafting options as well as comprehensive annotations that can be used as quick references that explain why and how these devices operate.

You know you should have a will but how do you know when it's the "right" time for such a thing? is it when you get married? have children? own a house? retire? when is it? and what the heck is estate planning? the news shows us every day that people of all ages die or are impaired, either temporarily or permanently, by unforeseen and sometimes unimaginable events. and sometimes it's just life itself, like a fall, an infection, a disease. think about that. your life can be drastically changed or ended any day, at any age, by something you have no control over. this book will empower you to take control where you can over many important areas in your life. you will learn about your medical care, finances, property, and even personal topics that are often overlooked. topics that can impact not only you and your loved ones while you are living, but also after you're gone. it will empower you to make decisions now, so others don't decide for you later. and the best part: you don't even have to call it estate planning. call it your life plan, your legacy plan, your family plan. call it whatever you want! it's your plan.