Full Description
Navigate probate, tax issues, and state laws Create an estate plan and protect your family's interests Need a will, but have no idea where to start? This friendly guide shows youhow to prepare a legal will or trust - either on your own or with professional help - and ensure that your wishes are honored. You'll handle everything from planning your bequests and writing and signing a will to selecting a trust and drafting your durable power of attorney. Discover how to: Provide for your children Hire and work with professionals Minimize tax liabilities Amend or revoke a will or trust Avoid common estate planning mistakes Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.
Contents
Introduction. Part I: Getting Started with Your Will or Trust. Chapter 1: Ensuring That Your Last Wishes Are Honored. Chapter 2: Making Crucial Decisions. Chapter 3: Gathering Per tinent Information. Chapter 4: Planning Your Bequests. Chapter 5: Providing for Your Children and Dependents. Chapter 6: Dipping into Your Pocket: The Tax Man (and Others). Part II: Everything You Need to Know about Wills. Chapter 7: Writing and Signing a Will. Chapter 8: Navigating the Land Mines. Chapter 9: When You Already Have a Will. Chapter 10: Estate Administration: What Happens in Probate Court. Part III: Trust Me! How Trusts Work. Chapter 11: The Anatomy of a Trust. Chapter 12: Dead or Alive: Picking Your Trust. Chapter 13: When You Already Have a Trust. Part IV: Carrying Out the Intent of Your Will and Trust. Chapter 14: Planning for Your Incapacity. Chapter 15: Those Cushy Retirement Funds. Chapter 16: Life Insurance: Making Sure It Doesn't Backfire. Chapter 17: Your Castle: How It's Owned Makes a Huge Difference. Part V: The Part of Tens. Chapter 18: Ten Common Will Mistakes. Chapter 19: Ten Reasons to Have a Trust. Chapter 20: Ten Tax Traps to Avoid When Planning Your Estate. Part VI: Appendixes. Appendix A: State Signing Requirements. Appendix B: State Inheritance Taxes. Appendix C: Estate Planning Questionnaire. Appendix D: About the CD. Index.
