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
This is an easy-to-use and fast way for you and other members of your household to create your own advance directive, also known as a living will, durable power of attorney for health care, living revocable trust, and all the other must-have documents you need to protect you and your family. It's as easy as 1-2-3—simply personalize, print, and protect.
Suze Orman and her own estate trust attorney have created the most state-of-the-art documents found anywhere. There are more than $2,500 worth of estate documents in this kit. Why pay thousands of dollars when you can get the same documents in this kit!
This kit includes:
• More than 50 state-of-the-art documents • Free automatic on-line updates • Verbal and written instructions taking you step by step through the four must-have documents • Password protection securing multiple users' information • A tutorial that shows you everything you need to know • 10 electronic books
PC and Macintosh Compatible . . . and good in all 50 states!
Customer Reviews:
simplistic.......2007-07-16
This is okay for people who have never been exposed to wills or trusts. Does not allow you edit easily or transfer docs to legal size etc like Willmaker. I'm sure it has to do with compromising their advice but you just don't have any leeway whereas other programs flat out tell you that if you modify their language it's your responsibility. Probably ok if you know NOTHING about trusts and still want to investigate doing them yourself. I expected more.
Looks good.. haven't gotten around to completing the will yet.......2007-07-06
Will know in a month or two when I do the actual Will papers.. and will probably update with more at that time.. looks pretty good so far..
A difficult job made do-able.......2007-06-09
It is more fun to eat live snails than to sit down and do trusts and wills, not to mention the dreaded Advanced Directive.
Everyone puts off this very necessary chore because they know that going to an attorney is expensive and that all this is necessary because of death, a subject we avoid when possible.
Now there are many software programs that promise to make it possible for many people to do this work at home and without the expense of an attorney. Be aware, though, that attorneys say that people trying to do it themselves can make expensive mistakes and that the fee for professional services is money well spent.
I suspect that many people with uncomplicated estates can probably do ok with a software program, but that complicated estates really need an attorney. The question of what is fairly simple and what is complicated can only be answered by the individual.
Even if you have doubts about doing it yourself, it makes sense to get a program and do it anyway. You will know the kind of questions you have to answer and generally get an idea of the process. Then you can go to an attorney with some backround that will make the process easier, maybe saving an hour or three of expensive attorney time.
The Orman program is heavily advertised and Suze herself is kind of a celebrity. It is also reasonably priced and the advertisements seemed realistic. I went with Suze and successfully filled everything out, got the appropriate forms witnessed and notarized and copies sent to relatives, doctors and hospitals. Felt a lot better afterward as I am sure most people do.
A will is like having a colonoscopy. Everyone knows they should have one, but put it off as long as possible. I was forced into action because I was facing a serious time in the hospital and thought that if I left feet first, that my wife and kids would have a terrible time dealing with stuff a will would make easier. All turned out well, but I am really glad I did the paperwork and do not have to think about it unless things change.
The advanced directive, in case some people don't know, is a legal document that allows a hospital to cut off life support when you are brain dead in case your spouse is not available to give the word. This is not an uncommon occurrence as you could both be dead or incapacitated in a crash, for example. You can be free to go without interference from politicians who think they can raise the dead or from relatives who can't make the decision. Doctors know when it is time.
The Orman program is probably about as simple as it can be, but it deals with legalities, life and death, money and real estate and other property. That is all hard stuff. Attorneys will likely charge close to $2000 to do this because it takes hours of work. So, it is not an easy even for professionals. I managed to complete everything in about five hours. Those that have used tax software will find the process familiar.
Suze gives you stuff to read and also does a voice-over in some cases. Other experts also chime in now and then. I thought this was going to be annoying, but actually found it to be useful. I do suggest earphones or decent speakers if you are forced to operate in a noisy environment.
In California, at least, some of the forms need to be witnessed and notarized. The witnesses cannot be beneficiaries, so you have to get two strangers to sign some ominous documents for someone they do not know. I was lucky to find a couple in the hair salon next door to the notary. This is not the fault of Orman, but still you have to line people up. You might call the notary for advice. Stupid requirement.
There are multiple forms, several pages each. You need to make copies for relatives, your doctor and hospitals. That adds up to a lot of copies and a lot of paper that needs to be accurately collated. I suggest you get a stapler and a bunch of manila mailers that are addressed.
You also need cover letters. For example, the copy of the advanced directive that goes to your doctors should have a cover letter explaining that you are sending the directive so it will be in their files in case the need should arise to use it some day.
I also emailed my relatives and told them their will and directive copies were coming and what my general expectations were. I guess it is more traditional to keep it a secret until the end. Depends, I suppose.
Oh, and one of the forms is a narrative that details the disposition of your property. For example, you could say that aunt Mary gets your collection of pornographic statues, Uncle Bill gets the tv and so on.
So, it took me all day to complete the program, get witnesses and notary, collate and mail everything. That is about as fast as possible I think. Afterward, I felt relieved and accomplished. I had more than one drink in celebration.
There is nothing as nice as getting nagging odious tasks done. And the colonoscopy saved my life, so there.
I gave Suze five stars. I have not compared her program to any of the others. The legal requirements are the same and I figure Orman is in a position to hire competent legal and technical people. There is no way to know if everything will go smoothly for my heirs. One could hire an attorney to look it over and that shouldn't take too long.
The program does a good job of guiding you through a complex procedure. You still have to make decisions, of course, but the fact that this all went smoothly and everything printed was very impressive. This was done on a Mac, which is good since programs like this are usually ported to Windows first. Now that Macs also run Windows makes it even more likely to work for you on any computer.
I am impressed with this program and recommend it. I doubt that there is any way to make a will/trust/directive program any easier and I trust that the people behind it are competent. So, five stars.
Will and Trust Kit.......2007-05-07
Overall the Will and Trust kit is very easy to use. It is a bit glitchy on the Mac, but when I switched to the PC I was able to produce all the documents I needed. What I like most is that after creating the Trust document, the program walked me through funding the trust. It does not matter how much you know about Wills and Trusts, all you need to know is who you want to get what when you die. As a bonus you get the Living Will document. This is something I wish my father had when he was sick and finally died.
not enough info about what this software can offer.......2007-04-04
The software does not give enough info about what this software is capable of doing. For example, I found out in the middle of interview questions that the software can not do AB trust. THis makes this software totally useless.
Book Description
This is the landmark book that changed the way exceptional families think about their heritage, their wealth, and their legacy to future generations - now revised and expanded. "A masterpiece. No one is more astute than Jay Hughes about the topics of family wealth and family life." - Charles W. Collier, Senior Philanthropic Adviser, Harvard Univesity.
Customer Reviews:
Great Treatment of Family Wealth Topics.......2007-09-28
I really enjoyed this book. It's a great treatment of key issues facing families transitioning significant wealth across generations.
This is not a tedious discussion of dry, technical strategies requiring an LLM in taxation to understand. Rather, it is an analysis of ways to maximize the long-term positive impacts of wealth on a family while minimizing the negative ones.
While this book would be a helpful read for anyone concerned about leaving heirs more than just money, I think families with estates over $5MM would find some of the advice most directly applicable to the challenges they face.
Family Wealth - Keeping it in the Family.......2007-02-16
As an advisor, preparing for my first Family Meeting, I found this more helpful than most other books on Family Governance. I really liked the way in which it talks about not just financial capital, and social capital, but human & intellectual capital as well. It resonated well with me and with my Family Office clients. It gives more of a structure for developing the governance model than other books I've seen.
Immensely valuable for members of a family business.......2007-01-03
Chapter 1 applied most directly to my situation, and this chapter alone makes the book worth having on my shelf. Hughes' perspective, from both his own family and his experience advising other families, gives the book authority.
Often family wealth seems to be treated as a "dirty little secret" where money concerns trump people concerns. Hughes provides a framework where financial, human, and intellectual assets can all be considered. He shows that family wealth can be a path towards growth of individuals, families, and their wealth, through investments, philanthropy, and professional development.
Bravo!
Hands on, long term familiy peace.......2006-08-19
I profound and comprehensive book on long term principles and practices to preserve family wealth (human an financial).
A must reading for medium family businesses.
Addresses issues of significant importance in the wealth management process.......2006-08-18
As principal of a financial planning and wealth management firm, I highly recommend this book for families who have acquired wealth and want their children and future generations to be concerned about their human, intellectual and social development in addition to the growth of their financial resources.
Family Wealth does a good job of addressing issues of importance to wealthy families such as the need to create and establish mission statements, plan for family governance and how to create a mutually rewarding relationship with trustees and financial advisors.
As someone with practical experience in planning and/or supervising all aspects of a client's financial planning needs with the goal of protecting and enhancing retirement assets and estates, I especially like the emphasis by Hughes on the need for long-term thinking and how personal and intellectual development is just as important as financial decisions in the family organization.
This book has added a new dimension to our multi-disciplined practice. Along with our principal specialty, retirement income and retirement plan distribution strategies, we now help our clients think of ways to use their financial capital to nurture and enhance their human and intellectual capital.
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:
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.
Outstanding and comprehensive coverage of estate planning........2006-10-18
The book is so clearly written, with explanations followed by simple examples. It covers every aspect I could think of, with occasional advice that you could do this yourself, or sometimes that you really need a lawyer. If you have a substantial estate you will probably want to have an expert do the work. But you should read this book so you know what the expert is doing (or you could pay the expert $200-300 an hour to educate you on basics). Simply the best book I have read all year.
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.
Book Description
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.
Customer Reviews:
Disorganized, repetitive and much too long. .......2007-08-23
This book contains quite a bit of good information but only after you wade through about 90 pages of sales pitch for living trusts. When you finally get to the part of the book containing actual information about trusts it is disorganized and repetitive to the extreme. Much of the book appears to be excerpts from trust seminars given by the author which are strung end to end to bulk out the book. A good rewrite and editing would make this a more readable, concise and useful book.
The Living Trust.......2007-05-15
This was a gift for my grown daughter. She says it is very useful.
The Living Trust: The failproof way to pass along your estate to heirs.......2006-11-10
It is an excellent guide book IF you have a Living Trust. There are a couple other books that Mr. Abts wrote that precede this one which are all very good and information everyone should know about, if you do not want to go through the expense of lawyers and probate. I am very glad that we had our's drawn up back in 1992. My husband passed in 2001, and this has been a great help to me, along with the help and support of an excellent Trust and Financial Advisor. The Living Trust is valid in every state in the Union.
A popular estate planning alternative in easy to understand book.......2006-08-19
As principal of a financial planning and wealth management firm, an important part of my service is to help clients coordinate their estate plan with other aspects of their financial picture, such as investments, retirement planning, insurance and tax issues.
The key to making the right decision is information about the potential advantages and disadvantages of each option for their particular situation. I highly recommend this book to my clients, which provides a clear and concise overview of the living trust and other wealth preservation vehicles.
In The Living Trust, Abts does a good job of exposing the drawbacks of probate, including complexity, cost, lack of privacy and delay. He explains why the living trust is an alternative for many people and for many reasons, including greater organization, greater assurance of complete probate avoidance and lower total cost than probate.
If you are interested in the fundamentals of trusts, estate taxes, and the administration of an estate, this book will answer many of your questions.
If you are interested in setting up a trust, this book will make you an educated client before meeting with a professional advisor and/or local attorney to set up your trust.
The BEST BOOK on this subject - Period! .......2004-07-24
Henry Abts is the foremost authority on the workings of a Living Trust in the nation. After researching more I learned that Henry was basically the pioneer of hte living trust industry and has collected the best legal minds to help him in his handling of this important subject.
This book is the best and most easily understood reference in print today. Henry has a special and unique talent of taking a complex and difficult subject and then break it down so that it is both understandable and interesting.
After reading this book twice, I did a lot more research and everything else I learned was already addressed by Henry. He also has another book on settling the Living Trust that helped me greatly. This is my way of saying thanks to a great author and educator. You will not be disappointed in this book.
rh from California
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:
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Plan Your Estate
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Quicken Personal Finances Deluxe 2007 [OLDER VERSION]
TurboTax Federal + State Premier Investments 2006 Win/Mac
Make Your Own Living Trust (Book & CD-ROM)
Not of value to me..........2007-01-09
