Help protect your family and your assets, and save on legal fees! Quicken WillMaker Plus Estate Planning Essential 2007 Edition provides the legal forms you need. So comprehensive, the CD-ROM assembles your forms from among 40,000 document possibilities -- but so easy to use, you'll have them finished in minutes.
Important documents for executors
The CD-ROM also provides forms you can use every day, such as authorizations and agreements, child and elder care forms, promissory notes and documents to help you repair your credit.
For each document, Quicken WillMaker Plus Estate Planning Essentials 2007 Edition takes you through a step-by-step interview. Your documents will automatically reflect the laws of your state. If you have any questions, simply check out the comprehensive onscreen legal manual. Expert tech support is also available.
Need to know more? Here are in-depth details about what you can do with Quicken WillMaker Plus Estate Planning Essentials 2007 Edition:
Your Will
Provide for family, friends and charities. Name a personal guardian to care for young children. Specify the executor (or "personal representative") of your estate. Select a trusted person to manage property left to young people. Revise and update your will whenever you like.
Your Living Trust
Make a basic trust, whether you're married or single. If married, you can create a AB trust (or bypass trust) and spare your heirs from potentially heavy estate taxes. Create subtrusts for minor children and young adults. Name custodians for property left to children. Change or revoke your trust at any time.
Your Health Care Directive lets people who care for you make important decisions about your life and health when you can't. Create a:
NEW! Health Care Power of Attorney Permit a loved one to make important medical decisions for you if you are unable to do so yourself.
Living Will
Specify whether you want your life prolonged through artificial means. Appoint someone to make sure your wishes are carried out.
Your Financial Power of Attorney
Name someone to make your financial decisions, in case you are medically incapacitated. Don't worry, you can grant as much authority as you wish.
Your Final Arrangements
Plan a funeral or other ceremony. Clarify whether you want a cremation or burial. Select someone to oversee your final arrangements -- and more!
Documents for Your Executor
Make sure your executor ("personal representative" in some states) has all the forms and instructions he or she needs to do the job: Checklists, letters, notices, claim forms -- and more.
Personal Finance Documents
Over a dozen forms that let you handle financial situations you might face on any given day, such as disputing a credit card charge, lending or borrowing money to friends or family, creating bills of sale -- and more!
Home & Family Documents
Whether you need to authorize someone to travel with your child to another country, want to lend your car to a friend, or create an agreement with a trusted person to take care of your elderly parent, Quicken WillMaker Plus can handle all these family situations -- and many more!
Estate planning documents not valid in Louisiana.
Customer Reviews:
very thorough.......2007-09-25
Probably the best product available. I bought the book plus CD. The book is very detailed and covers most topics you would want to know about in case you pass on. I feel I have a good understanding of the process. Estate planning is somewhat complex and takes time. You must read the book before plugging in the software so you will understand the major decisions you must make.
This package will crank out straight forward, no nonsense wills and related paperwork that is valid and binding. You do not need a lawyer. However if you have anything complicated or involves many conditions, you better pay the lawyers fees.
It's OK but won't work on Mac.......2007-09-12
I have not used all the pieces of this and it has some limitations but it is a cheap way to get a will I guess. I am mostly annoyed that they don't make it for Mac which makes it a bigger hassle for me since I am a Mac user.
Very good if your needs are basic.......2007-08-24
My wife and I bought this product before we went on an out of the country vacation and left our toddler with relatives. We wanted to have the peace of mind that our intentions were documented and known. Our situation is not complex so we found the program and documentation to be very accommodating.
I would guess that someone who had a great deal of acquired wealth and assests, or a complex family system may want to invest in an attorney's assistance.
Easy to use product........2007-08-23
WillMaker was simple to use, and didn't take much time at all. It is a great way to get your affairs in order. It's not easy to think about death, but I think it is important, so those who survive you don't have as many difficult issues around one's death.
This program also has some other useful legal programs such as childcare contracts.
Lots of Reading but Well Worth It.......2007-08-08
I didn't want to go to a lawyer and spend lots of $ on the very little money I have. The software comes with a very detailed book and explains everything very well. I did actually write my will that day and living will as well.I just have to get it signed by witnesses and notarized. I didn't give it a perfect 5 b/c there is no such thing as perfect. That's just my own opinion. Well worth the money and the software goes through the will process step by step.
Book Description
The most comprehensive-- yet easy to read -- guide to estate planning on the market!
Plan Your Estate covers everything from the basics of wills and living trusts to sophisticated tax-saving strategies. The authors give you straightforward, plain-English explanations of every significant estate-planning option available, so you can make the best decisions for you and those you love.
The book covers:
*wills
*probate and how to avoid it
*living trusts
*property-control trusts
*naming guardians for children
*leaving property to children
*estate taxes and how to reduce them
*living wills (health care directives)
*financial powers of attorney
*final arrangements
*strategies for business owners
*and much more.
The 8th edition is completely updated with the latest federal and state laws, and now covers ethical wills -- a new way to pass on values, beliefs and important personal experiences. Good for all states except Louisiana.
Download Description
"The most comprehensive -- yet easy to read -- guide to estate planning on the market! Plan Your Estate covers everything from the basics of wills and living trusts to sophisticated tax-saving strategies. The authors give you straightforward, plain-English explanations of every significant estate-planning option available, so you can make the best decisions for you and those you love. The book covers: -federal estate and gift taxes -trusts used to control property left to beneficiaries -charitable remainder trusts -durable powers of attorney -living wills -funerals and burials Completely updated, the 8th edition discusses new state estate tax rules, the new ""disclaimer trust"" for couples who aren't sure whether they need an AB trust, educational saving plans for kids, transfer-on-death deeds to avoid probate for real estate - and much more. Good for all states except Louisiana. "
Customer Reviews:
A great book to help you learn how to sensibly plan the transfer of your wealth at your death and minimize any estate tax bite!.......2007-10-09
This is a wonderful book on estate planning that focuses on legal and practical issues. I loved it. As I read through it I did not see any inaccuracies in the law or in the subject matter. I especially enjoyed reading about the different options one has regarding how to leave property to minor children. And it includes a thorough discussion on the ways to save on estate taxes.
This book is written for the nonlawyer. And it is not designed to cover in detail ancillary subjects related to estate planning. It is applicable to all states (except Louisiana) and DC. It will be useful for people with estates of any amount. But because of its comprehensive nature I seriously doubt that people with insignificant estates will want to read it. There are other less comprehensive books those people should read. There is no reason to get overwhelmed about estate planning when there is no need to do so.
This book does not provide prepackaged estate plans to be used as templates for readers. Subjects not covered are elder law, retirement planning, and financial planning. However, I think Chapter 13 concerning Retirement Benefits came pretty close to being a superficial chapter on retirement planning.
I would have liked the book better if chapters 3 and 10 had been combined. And I realize that most estate planning authors include retirement planning and incapacity planning in their books. But I view those subjects as being separate and apart from estate planning and should have been left out of this book. Ergo, I'd get rid of chapters 13 and 26. Maybe they could be the subject of another Nolo book? The coverage of state law exemptions regarding probate seemed out of place to me, too. I don't think the intended audience of this book really cares about that material.
My favorite chapters were 15 to 23. Understanding estate and gift taxes and how to reduce or eliminate them is what estate planning is mostly about. And it was wonderful seeing Chapter 22 (Disclaimers) and Chapter 28 (Small Business Owner issues). These subjects are ignored in most estate planning books.
I thought the author went a little heavy on being anti-Probate throughout the text. Probate has its good points and its bad. I would have liked the book better if the author had just stuck to the facts and not gone overboard giving his slant on the topic. 5 stars!
estate planning.......2007-09-05
Extremely helpful for the lay person. My mother introduced us to an older edition. She was ahead of her time with the living trust idea. Even though I would eventually use a lawyer, this helps you know the right questions to ask.
great reference.......2007-06-15
Let's face it, this stuff is complicated, and pretty much meant to keep lawyers in business. Get this book as a reference and be able to answer a lot of the questions on your own.
Nearly useless if you have retirement accounts.......2007-02-15
I bought this book prior to seeing an attorney to set up a will/trust so that I would be reasonably knowledgeable about the issues to consider before the meter started running. In particular, I, like many others have much of my net worth in IRAs and other tax advantaged retirement accounts and was concerned about how best to pass on these accounts. To my utter astonishment (and disgust), this book for all practical purposes provides no help with IRAs, 401Ks, etc. For heavens sake, after a home, retirement accounts are the major assets of most people and an estate planning book of 443 pages ought to be able to squeeze in basic advice on this topic.
Actually, I'm exagerating; they do provide two pieces of advice on IRAs. Their advice on page 179 is to buy a separate book from Nolo Press (whose title I will NOT cite) and on page 181 they suggest you download publications 560 and 590 from the IRS. Gee thanks. You don't suppose they intentionally omitted retirement accounts so you'd have to buy another one of their publications? Could I be getting cynical in my old age?
If you don't have IRAs this book is pretty good (reason for two stars), otherwise you 're flying blind.
PLANNING FOR THE INEVITABLE.......2007-01-09
Well written with concise explinations along with a strategic approach to estate planning.
Book Description
Settling an estate can be like moving through a maze -- let The Executor's Guide lead the way.
If you're faced with wrapping up the affairs of a loved one who has died, you may feel overwhelmed by all the work ahead -- especially when you're grieving. But with the right legal and practical information, you can do it.
The Executor's Guide will show you how to get organized, get the help you need and make progress one step at a time. Let it help you navigate an unfamiliar land of legal procedures and terminology. It explains:
*preparing for the job of executor or trustee *the first steps to take *claiming life insurance, Social Security and other benefits *making sense of a will *what to do if there is no will *how to determine whether probate is necessary *caring for children and their property *taxes *an overview of probate court proceedings *dealing with family members *handling trusts *looking up your state's laws *working with lawyers, appraisers, accountants and other experts
The 2nd edition contains updated tables outlining key points of each state's laws, the latest information on estate taxes and worksheets that help you stay organized and on track.
Download Description
"Settling an estate can be like moving through a maze -- let The Executor's Guide lead the way. If you're faced with wrapping up the affairs of a loved one who has died, you may feel overwhelmed by all the work ahead -- especially when you're grieving. But with the right legal and practical information, you can do it. The Executor's Guide will show you how to get organized, get the help you need and make progress one step at a time. Let it help you navigate an unfamiliar land of legal procedures and terminology. It explains: -preparing for the job of executor or trustee -the first steps to take -claiming life insurance, Social Security and other benefits -making sense of a will -what to do if there is no will -how to determine whether or not probate is necessary -caring for children and their property -taxes -an overview of probate court proceedings -dealing with family members -handling trusts -looking up your state's laws -working with lawyers, appraisers, accountants and other experts "
Customer Reviews:
Helpful but repetitious and ultimately insufficient.......2007-05-12
On almost every page we are reminded that we must be honest. Give me a break. On the other side of the detail spectrum, there are a lot of dead ends, e.g. where one must fill out a form, but not send it to anyone. The main thing this book did for my cluster of heirs was put us all into a frame of agreement, i.e. we all bought the book, so we all had the same information. If the executor was not keeping up with something, the rest of us knew to send a reminder. But in the end, we decided to hire a lawyer to do the job. He knew a lot of stuff that wasn't in the book. What a relief.
Thorough Detailed Insight of The Executor's Role.......2007-01-27
I purchased this book in June 2006 along with another Nolo publication called "Get It Together: Organizing Your Records for Loved Ones". Both books offer a treasure trove of information, resources, forms, websites, government agencies, etc. to plan the nuts and bolts of your estate should there be an unfortunate call from the grim reaper for you or close relatives or friends.
I feel such a sense of freedom and security knowning all my affairs are in order should I be involved in an accident, be incapacitated or die. In addition, I have educated myself now in a cogent state of mind. The Executor's Guide covers a lot of territory, so you do not what to be learning what to do under emotional and tragic circumstances if at all possible.
Just by looking at the Table of Contents alone, I think it's safe to conclude there will be a number of chapters of where you will have a basic understanding of the title, but lack a more detailed appreciation of the subject matter. All materials are presented in a down to earth style with hints, tricks and traps to avoid along the way.
Executor's Guide is at it's greatest when discussing an event or responsibility, who does and doesn't need to be involved, discussing the legal ramifications and how the legal system works generally with respect to the event and the next steps to take. Please pickup this excellent resource you can share with others in your family or friends, so you can effectively deal with someone's estate if you are asked and learn some tips to manage your own records.
Executor reviews Executor's Review.......2007-01-10
An excellent guide for those of us struggling to manipulate the legal maze of probate. After having read the book, I was able to avoid asking as many questions of an attorney resulting in savings to the estate of hundreds of dollars. More importantly, I was able to deal with heirs and family members in a fair and intelligent manner. No one has been able to complain of things not being explained clearly or of the process moving too slowly. I would recommend the book to anyone who is about to administer an estate.It is a great tool for an heir or family member who simply wants to be better informed.
Review of Executor's Guide.......2006-08-09
I discovered this book in the our city library, and decided to purchase it as I felt that it would be very useful. It covered most of the areas of information an Executor or Trustee would want to know. My neighbor also read the book and some of the subject areas made her decide to go back to an attorney with more questions concerning her current Trust.
I would highly recommend this book for individuals who may become Executors or Trustees. It covered information in a simplistic manner in lieu of using lawyer language. It also covers tax ramifications but is not the basic goal of this helpful publication.
Comprehensive, if a little redundant.......2006-07-24
I would recommend The Executor's Guide not only to people who have been (or expect to be) named executors, but to anyone preparing a will or living trust. One of the most valuable chapters, in fact, is designed to help a future executor, by listing information he or shw would need to settle your estate -- bank accounts, location of vital records, etc. For those who are about to go through probate or distribute property held in trust, the book literally gives step-by-step instructions, all with a minimum of legalese and jargon. My only criticism is that some ideas -- even whole paragraphs -- are repeated in different chapters. But if you don't intend to read the book cover to cover, that wouldn't be a problem (and it might not bother you even if you do).
Book Description
Here is the absolutely essential and totally comprehensive guide to wills, trusts, estate planning, and crafting a personal legacy.
Scrutinized for accuracy by AARP’s legal specialists, this indispensable volume covers every aspect of planning an estate and creating a will. A crash course in one handy volume, the book walks readers through the entire process, from understanding the distinction between probate and nonprobate property to delegating a durable power of attorney, and from resolving possible tax issues ahead of time to safeguarding your assets.
In these pages you will find:
• comparisons of wills and simple living trusts;
• advice on guardianship and advance medical directives;
• explanations of the role and powers of a trustee—and what steps to take in the case of suspected misconduct;
• a primer on marshaling and protecting retirement assets;
• help in planning for children with disabilities;
• ideas for making sure your money stays in the family in case a spouse remarries; and much, much more.
Customer Reviews:
The Good Estate.......2007-08-28
This is a well written, very readable treatment of the subject of estate planning. If one submits to the discipline of reading it thoroughly one will secure the necessary knowledge to ask and answer the pertinent questions of an estate planning lawyer.
Cuting planning costs.......2007-01-19
This book is a must for senions who need to understand the ramifacations of nursing home costs and related retirement issues. Attorney costs as high as $200.00 per hour and or flat fees of thousands of dollars, cause seniors to procasinate from getting their financial house in order. This book does a good job of explaining the need for proper planning and the ease in which it can be done withour having an attorney do ever phase, and prepare every document. Yet it does point out the need for an attorney in properly preparing the more difficult documents. I highly recoment this book for seniors and others also.
Don't Visit Your Attorney without Being Informed.......2006-09-28
As an estate planner and attorney, I know that presenting this kind of information in an easy-to-grasp way isn't, well . . . easy. But Michael Palermo has done it. In Crash Course in Estate Planning, he explains everything from wills to planning for children to protecting your investment interests. The fact that the AARP endorses The Essential Guide is a great indication of the value of the information. The "Hints" and "Warnings" that Michael gives throughout the book could only have come from a real life practicing estate attorney who has faced these problems with clients many times. In addition to having an estate planning practice, Michael is also a Certified Financial Planner and the combination of wisdom garnered from his financial background and legal background serves his readers well. Michael knows which issues take a little more effort to understand, and he provides more detail accordingly. This is a great book for anyone who is preparing to tackle the estate planning process. Palermo provides clear and direct answers to very difficult questions. I highly recommend his book. Be advised though, if you read the book you may, at least in some areas, find you know more than your attorney!
James Lange, CPA/Attorney and author of Retire Secure! Pay Taxes Later: The Key to Making Your Money Last as Long as You Do
This book is outdated........2006-06-21
It is difficult to understand how this book got the endorsement of AARP. It has only had three reviews and the last one was in October of 2005. Being published in 2004 puts the information behind the times, especially if you live in California. As the author of the book "Everything A Baby Boomer Should Know," published only weeks ago, I think AARP should reevaluate what it recommends to us Baby Boomers as a reliable resource to educate our need to know how the system works.
The best advice.......2005-10-28
This is not a "how to" book. It is an exhaustive discussion of all of the options people have in planning their estates. This includes what can go wrong and how to avoid these problems.
It covers all of the possible ways to minimize taxes for your estate and your heirs.
The writing style is concise.
Amazon.com
Most of us know that upon our demise, a succession of fees and taxes will eat into our estates--no matter their size--if we don't plan now to protect them. Unfortunately, many of us still postpone this process because we hesitate to summon the outside legal assistance that's traditionally been required. The folks at Nolo Press have made it their mission to provide us with the means to complete a relatively uncomplicated official arrangement like this without lawyers, however, and their third edition of Make Your Own Living Trust offers hope even to the most hesitant among us. With easy-to-follow instructions, helpful worksheets, and all of the forms necessary, attorney Denis Clifford shows both individuals and couples how to avoid otherwise inevitable delays and costs by preparing on their own to transfer their property directly to their designated heirs. Clifford's method involves the creation of a "living trust," which is a basic legal entity that allows property to be simply passed along in this way immediately upon the death of the person who created it. He outlines advantages and drawbacks, and then clearly lays out the entire process. The excuses stop here. --Howard Rothman
Book Description
No other book covers living trusts better -- or more simply -- than this bestselling book.
Death may be inevitable, but probate doesn't have to be. By creating a living trust, your property will bypass lengthy and expensive probate proceedings and go directly to the people you've designated, quickly and easily.
Make Your Own Living Trust explains how to create a living trust, transfer property to the trust and amend or revoke the trust at any time. Specifically, it covers how to:
retain absolute control over trust property while you live
Make Your Own Living Trust includes all the forms you need -- as tear-outs and on CD-ROM -- to create your own trust, plus step-by-step instructions for filling them out.
Completely updated and revised, the 8th edition covers the latest laws and information about federal and state estate taxes.
Good in all states except Louisiana.
Download Description
"Property left in a living trust bypasses lengthy and expensive probate court proceedings and goes directly to the person it's left to, quickly and easily. Make Your Own Living Trust clearly explains: . how a living trust works . how to create a trust . how to transfer property to a trust . how to amend or revoke a trust at any time The bestseller also provides all the forms and instructions necessary to create a basic living trust, a marital life estate trust (A-B trust) and a back-up will. Good in all states except Louisiana."
Customer Reviews:
Best resource on the subject.......2007-08-16
In order to help my parents with their trust, I had checked out about a dozen books on the subject from the library. I found Denis Clifford's to be the easiest to follow and easiest to read on a fairly complex subject. I found the book (and his "Plan Your Estate" book) so informative I bought a set for myself.
This book offers lots of "real life" examples of different types of financial scenarios and the best options for setting up a trust that will protect the assets from excessive legal fees and/or estate taxes. It covers almost everything you need to know to either write your own trust or carefully check the details of your trust if prepared by a lawyer.
The CD included provides you with the language you need to write your own by filling in the blanks, as well as the step-by-step procedure to cover all the bases to be certain the trust meets all the legal & tax requirements for trusts.
This book is also apparently updated each year, as the tax and estate laws are frequently being revised. I highly recommend this book, and also highly recommend as a companion book that covers other aspects of financial planning, wills, etc., Dennis Clifford's Plan Your Estate.
I was so impressed I also bought copies of both books for my parents and my sister so we could all get our finances in order.
Another Great Book From NOLO .......2007-05-08
Nolo Press continues the tradition of providing step by step guidance through complex legal processes. Step by step demystification of the process.
Even if you are going to use an attorney this is a good read and you will save many times the cost of the book in having answered your own questions and by receiving a good introduction to the subject.
Highly recommended
Attorney Approved.......2006-03-11
I am an attorney (shyreslaw.com) and I highly recommend this book for those who could use a simple trust and want to avoid probate. Even if you decide to hire an attorney, this book is invaluable because it offers great insight into trusts and avoiding the probate system.
Attorney Denis Clifford wrote this great do-it-yourself book which provides everyone a way to create their own simple living trust. A CD-ROM is also provided so you can easily input your information and print it out.
For a more complete estate plan, the book introduces the importance of pourover wills in case the trust fails to encompass all the property. You may want to peruse Mr. Clifford's Simple Will Book as well (another recommended buy).
Recommend highly..........2006-02-21
"Make Your Own Living Trust" was so easy to follow I recommend it to all the baby boomers. The disc attached to the back made it easy to print the required forms.
Great buy!.......2004-05-18
This book was a god-send! I was skeptical at first because I have no legal backround and I thought that making my own living trust would be complicated at best, impossible at worst. But following a recommendation of a friend I decided to give do-it-yourself law a shot. Boy am I happy I did! I saved a fortune in legal fees and was able to get the job done just as well as if I'd had a lawyer coaching me every step of the way.
Make Your Own Living Trust was easy to use and very accessible. It even has all of the forms you'll need on an enclosed CD-ROM. Thanks to this book I was able to transfer assets such as stocks, real estate and jewelry to my trust, appoint someone to manage the property that I'm leaving my children, and keep control over it while I live. So don't be afraid to do it yourself, you'll save money and get your trust done the way you want it!
Book Description
Estate planning is for everyone who wants to protect the ones they love.
The American Bar Association Guide to Wills & Estates, Second Edition, contains everything you need to know about planning an estate, preparing a will or trust, and minimizing inheritance taxes. Organized in easy-to-follow chapters with sidebars containing tips, checklists, and key information, this book will show you how to make plans that will be carried out exactly as you wish.
The ABA Guide to Wills & Estates will help you:
• Take steps to help your family now
• Determine what to put in your estate plan
• Decide whether to prepare a will, trust, or living trust
• Avoid or reduce estate taxes
• Change your plans if the law or your circumstances change
• Transfer property without a will with substitutes such as life insurance and joint tenancy
• Understand the benefits of living gifts and life insurance
• Choose an executor and trustee
• Ensure that your will won't be contested
Customer Reviews:
Not helpful.......2006-12-27
The ABA should be ashamed. This is not a book designed to inform but a list of reasons to see a lawyer. Interested in software to help. They cover that topic saying "since lawyers generally charge less for less complicated estates, you may be able to gain the benefits and flexibility of real legal advice for little more than the cost ofa computerized will kit." They let you know that "many alternative estate providers fail to inform you when there may be abetter (or cheaper) way to accomplish your goals" implying that the infallible lawyers always do so.
Want to use a statutory will - they'll tell you why you should use a lawyer instead.
Interested in learning about benificiary deeds they tell you "Your lawyer can explain the ins and outs of your state's law relating to beneficiary deeds."
Here's another very informative passage "Your lawyer can help you figure out which is which, so that you know what property you can transfer through estate planning."
Setting up a trust "you should surely use a lawyer to set one up. * If the trust is for the benefit of your minor children, ..."
How about this gem from page 44 "...should be coordinated with your estate plan, preferably with the assistance of your lawyer."
Or this one from page 46 "Check with your lawyer to see whether your state permits this arrangement and whether it's a good idea for your situation."
Want a well crafted will? Your infallible lawyer can help "craft your language so that no ambiguities remain that might invite a court challenge. Your lawyer can help you do that."
Don't ask practical questions, like which states allow statutory wills, those aren't answered.
Just What the Doctor Ordered.......2006-08-26
This is an excellent book. It answered all of my questions about handling my estate, and it answered many questions that never occurred to me. The writing is straightforward and easily understood. The title is THE AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION GUIDE TO WILLS AND TRUSTS, but it covers a good deal more: steps to help your family now; estate plans; avoiding or reducing estate taxes; transferring property without a will; securing long-term care help; and many other topics relating to managing your estate and passing it on to your heirs. This is a very useful book.
The American Bar Association wants you confused........2006-06-22
Don't be a sucker. The ABA is not going to help you understand the probate or non-probate system. I have been a lawyer for over twenrty years, and I can't understand what they are trying to say. They want you to give up rather than understand the tools of estate planning. I am the author of "Everything A Baby Boomer Should Know -- An Insider's Guide To Estate Planning." Compare it to the contents of this ABA book. The difference is that the ABA book is nothing more than another textbook that speaks over your head. Read my book and truly understand how the system works for you. I promise.
Good Guide to Estate Planning.......2006-02-18
Thorough and fairly easy to understand. It does a particularly clear discussion of trusts.
Excellent introduction to estate planning.......2003-12-20
This easy-reading book is a nice non-technical introduction to the world of estate planning. I would recommend it to anyone who would like to get a start in understanding this field.
Book Description
This quick read makes understanding the rules of estate planning easy!
Estate Planning Basics provides concise, straightforward and easy-to-read explanations of the major components of estate planning, so that you don't have to spend hours wading through endless options (most of which apply to the wealthy).
Learn about:
*choosing beneficiaries *estate planning by parents with minor children *wills *living trusts *other probate-avoidance methods, including using a retirement plan like an IRA or 401(k) as an estate planning device *estate taxes and tax-reduction methods *trusts for people in second marriages, or for those leaving property to a disabled person *planning for the handling of medical and financial decisions if one becomes incompetent
Attorney Denis Clifford gives you the reliable, plain-English answers you need, whether you're doling out the family heirlooms or steering clear of estate taxes. The 3rd edition is updated with the current rules of your state.
Download Description
This quick read makes understanding the rules of estate planning easy! Estate Planning Basics provides concise, straightforward and easy-to-read explanations of the major components of estate planning, so that you don't have to spend hours wading through endless options (most of which apply to the wealthy). Learn about: choosing beneficiaries estate planning by parents with minor children wills living trusts other probate-avoidance methods, including using a retirement plan like an IRA or 401(k) as an estate planning device estate taxes and tax-reduction methods trusts for people in second marriages, or for those leaving property to a disabled person planning for the handling of medical and financial decisions if one becomes incompetent Attorney Denis Clifford gives you the reliable, plain-English answers you need, whether you're doling out the family heirlooms or steering clear of estate taxes. The 3rd edition is updated with the current rules of your state.
Customer Reviews:
The right place to start.......2007-02-06
This was not the first estate planning book I bought, but it was the best. Without dumbing the issues down, the author carves out manageable modules to make each chapter as clear and understandable as possible. The book features anecdotal paragraph case studies based on real-life examples to flesh out the major points. In contrast to more encylopedic approaches, and as part of the NOLO series, this book is for non-lawyers. It makes clear that estate planning is about how to avoid probate and how to arrange for the conveyance of your assets to your heirs. That is, estate planning not about tax sheltering per se. Obvious, perhaps, to a lawyer, but not to most people. Another strong point is the clear and cogent explanation of trusts. A trust is a written agreement that defines the relationship among the grantor, the trustee, and beneficiaries. Here as well, the book delivers big-time by rendering legal abstractions accessible to the general reader. What a great service!
Highly recommended :).......2006-05-21
If you have ever embarked on a mission to get your affairs in order, or to help someone get theirs in order, you know how daunting the task can seem. I bought three other books prior to this one, and wish I would have started here. The other books are vast in their expertise, but are too complex for someone getting started. This book is the perfect place to start if you want to gain knowledge about estate planning prior to either making your own will (and/or living trust), or prior to going to see a lawyer for his or her help. This book explains the essentials in simple English. It truly delivers on its sub-title, "What you need to know & nothing more".
p.s. If you are going the do-it-yourself route, I recommend that your second purchase is Quicken WillMaker 2006.
A Must-Have for Estate Planning.......2004-03-01
This is the best book out there on Estate Planning Basics. Armed with this book and Quicken Personal Lawyer I was able to do our living trust, wills, life insurance and other estate planning documents and save the legal bills. Even if you end up using a lawyer, you should get this book first to get informed.
Book Description
This guide from bestselling real estate authors de Roos and Kennedy shows you how to use tax-free retirement funds to invest in real estate. Using real estate IRAs, you can combine the tax benefits of retirement funds with the high rates of appreciation in the real estate market, growing your retirement investments by leaps and bounds. This handy book shows you how.
Customer Reviews:
The Insider's Guide to Tax-Free Real Estate: Retire Rich Using Your IRA.......2007-09-05
This book was a great surprise! I thought that I was getting another book on IRA investing, but it was also informative about a new product that I had not heard of called the Solo 401(k). Really, this book is a must read for everyone...especially for people who have reached income limits for contributing to their IRA. It is also extremely helpful with ideas of how to purchase real estate within the self-directed retirement vehicle. I used the information in this book to redirect my investment goals!
Average customer rating:
- excellent book
- Excellent resource
- Comprehensive Estate Planning Techniques
- A "must-have", "do-it-yourself" legal resource
- very good study guide and book
|
Plan Your Estate (Plan Your Estate National Edition)
Denis Clifford , and
Cora Jordan
Manufacturer: NOLO
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Make Your Own Living Trust (Book & CD-ROM)
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Estate Planning Basics
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![Quicken Willmaker Plus 2006 [Old Version]](http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B000AA87JG.01.THUMBZZZ.jpg)
Quicken Willmaker Plus 2006 [Old Version]
ASIN: 1413300731 |
Product Description
Plan Your Estate Protect Your FamilyProduct InformationFormat: Paperback BookThe York Times calls it “an excellent source of information on wills and estate planning” while the Los Angeles Times deems it “a classic in the field.” W
Amazon.com
Planning your estate is one of the most complicated endeavors you'll ever undertake, yet its results are also the most far-reaching; after all, it will continue to affect those you care about long after you no longer can. So it's worth understanding all the options and ramifications, being personally involved, and doing it right. This Nolo Press guide to estate planning is an excellent source of information on the many various details and considerations that you need to take into account--such as children and probate, estate and gift taxes, second marriages, and a wide variety of trust options (charitable, generation-skipping, spendthrift, living, and educational, for starters). It delves into the factors that affect married people versus single, the laws regarding children, types of beneficiaries and wills, plus joint tenancy, life insurance, retirement benefits, taxes, and organ donation. Showing a number of sample estate plans, explaining what hiring a lawyer can do for you (and how to choose a good one), how to do your own research, and including a glossary of estate-planning terms, Clifford and Jordan give you the tools to decide for yourself how you want your estate disposed of--and to make sure that's what your legal documents reflect. --Stephanie Gold
Customer Reviews:
excellent book.......2006-11-07
As a student at Yale Law School planning to go into estate planning, I found this book very helpful. Highly recommended for anyone who needs to plan their estate or for law students taking estate tax or planning courses. This book is easy to understand, well organized, and provides a good amount of detailed information, not just vague ideas. Highly recommended.
Excellent resource.......2005-09-06
This book is a must buy resource for persons interested in estate planning. Whether you are planning to do-it-yourself or use a lawyer, it is good to know what your options are. I am much better informed after reading this book.
Comprehensive Estate Planning Techniques.......2005-01-08
This book provides an easy to understand overview of estate planning plus easy to understand detail on many special circumstances. It is very easy to understand which estate planning techniques are right for you, and there are many examples that illustrate how the techniques work. Approximately half of this book is relevant to everyone. The other half gives clear, common sense explantions of advanced planning techniques that are typically reserved for those fortunate enough to be planning a high net worth estate (lets say $1M+). The advanced techniques are not for do it yourselfers, but the book gives you a good understanding of the issues and lets you converse intelligently with an attorney.
A "must-have", "do-it-yourself" legal resource.......2004-12-13
Now in a newly updated and expanded seventh edition, Plan Your Estate is a resource provided by attorneys Denis Clifford and Cora Jordan which is packed from cover to cover with everything anyone needs to know to ensure their worldly goods are promptly willed to loved ones. Written in no-nonsense terms that the non-specialist general reader can readily grasp, individual chapters clearly address wills, how to avoid probate, living trusts, property-control trusts, naming guardians for children and leaving property to children, estate taxes, living wills, how to reduce estate taxes, and much, much more. Especially recommended for individuals who own a business or who have children from a former marriage, Plan Your Estate is a "must-have", "do-it-yourself" legal resource, which is applicable to all American states except for Louisiana. Even those who prefer to let a professional handle the whole process of estate planning would be well served to read Plan Your Estate cover to cover, before stepping into an attorney's office where time is money and the clock is running.
very good study guide and book.......2004-06-15
Great for law students taking an estate planning course or an estate and gift tax course. Also good for people wanting to learn about estate planning in general. I would recommend this book.
Customer Reviews:
Great book, but out-of-date.......2007-05-28
I actually worked with Alex Bove on updating a book on estate planning, when I practiced law in Boston many years ago. I purchased this book back in 1996 (the date of the current edition), but since then the laws have changed several times, most notably in February 2006, with the enactment of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. As a result of those changes, many of the examples and planning suggestions discussed in Bove's book no longer work. For example, all rules relating to gifting, penalty periods, look-back periods, "half-a-loaf" planning, and annuities, have been radically changed. Do not rely on the examples in the book!
That being said, his material on durable powers of attorney, trusts (other than the Convertible Trust, which no longer works), gift taxes, general eligibility requirements, and ethics of Medicaid planning, is still worth reading.
For an example of a book that incorporates all the latest changes in the law, together with case studies and numerous cutting edge planning ideas, take a look at How to Protect Your Family's Assets from Devastating Nursing Home Costs: Medicaid Secrets. It's pricey, but well worth it when you consider all the information and ideas packed into it!
Woefully out of date........2007-04-28
While I own this book (I bought it ten years ago) it is now very much out-of-date. The law of Medicaid is one that is constantly in flux, changing just about every year. Recent changes to Medicaid law have made every book on the subject of Medicaid published before January 2007 obsolete. While this book and its author, Mr. Bove provided a great overview of the Medicaid planning process and for many years was the go to book to learn about Medicaid and the nursing home, today it is woefully out-of-date. For an example of an up-to-date book with information for all 50 states see: The Medicaid Handbook 2007
Not Topical.......2006-11-11
The book fairly explains the complexities of Medicare. However, many changes have been made in Medicare since the date this publication was printed. The book should be updated to reflect the recent changes.
Worthless after Feb 8, 2006.......2006-08-24
Dear Worried Reader,
On February 8, 2006, President Bush signed a law called the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. This law makes sweeping changes to the ability of seniors to transfer (gift) any assets to their children and grandchildren. Following the advice of any book written before that date can cause a catastrophic loss of Medicaid privileges when a senior citizen is most vulnerable..when they actually enter a nursing home. Do not use this book as a reliable guide to current law. elder law attorney Chicago, IL
Thanks to Mr. Bove.......2005-09-21
The information in this book is easy to understand and extremely valuable. It saved my family thousands of dollars by helping me get Medicaid for my father.
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