Estate Planning Books

It's clear that the author has years of experience in protecting business owners' hard-earned assets. The author's asset protection strategies range from simple and inexpensive to complex and costly. This really makes the book suitable for managers of large corporations as well as small business owners.

At 500 pages, the book is detailed and comprehensive, but easy to read. Who would have known that in many states taking out a second mortgage on a house could make it exempt from attachment, while in other states, just the opposite approach, i.e., paying off the first mortgage, is what's required? Or that an IRA shields assets from the claims of creditors in many states and thus provides much more than a tax shelter, while in other states an ERISA-qualified 401(k) plan is a better choice? The author sorts all of this out in an authoritative but easy to read guide. Many readers will wish that they had this book years ago before financial problems developed. But, even there the author has strategies that can help avert a disaster.

The content, layout and design of this book make it not only indispensable, but actually fun to read. The tips, warnings and anectdotes are terrific. Attorney Misenti obviously has wide ranging experience in this field and his writing style is superb.

This book is probably the best entry level guide to asset protection.

I read through the book and learned a lot about various aspects of asset protection. This book is focused on small business, as it says, and it does an excellent job when discussing various 'tools'. There are many great asset protection 'tools' out there, but what works for you is all you need to care about, and this books does just that to small business owners.

The book starts with understanding your position to creditors (private and gov't). Then, it helps you get to know one tool after another in different situations you may be in, and each chapter is just in great details including pro and cons, typical scenarios, and Smart Plan (I love these).

Of course, no one is perfect. What I wish to see from this book, and many other books in this topic, is the overall picture of a business entity model/structure a person/business should have. For instance, it'll be much more helpful if the author include 2 or 3 smart business structures one should/could have and provide explanation of how each model works. The model should utilize, let's say, LLC, Living Trust, children's Trust... altogether to build a strong asset protection structure for a business and its business owners. It's true that the models may not totally work for each indiv., but it does give great understanding of how/why it's structured the way it is.

Overall, the book is great and highly recommended to general public readers who, like me, is not a lawyer or pro in this area. Further legal assitance is still recommended, but at least readers get good understanding when designing their own plan.

This is the ultimate guide to wealth building and wealth preservation. I've read other guides on forming an LLC or a corporation, but I never realized how woefully inadequate those other guides were before I purchased this book. As the author points out, many business owners form an LLC or a corporation without understanding how to strategically fund the entity, avoid exceptions to limited liability, or transfer assets to exempt categories, all of which are necessary if financial wealth is to be preserved in the face of lawsuits or bankruptcy. This guides teaches how to do all of that, and more.

The addition of actual cases, state asset exemption lists, and business forms for LLC's, makes this one of the best books of its kind that I've seen. Apparently this is one book in a series from the publisher that has received a lot of acclaim. ...

I've read that small business and entrepreneurs lead the country out of a recession. This guide could not be more timely. Don't start a business or expand your business without buying this book. This guide should be in the library of every business owner and well used. This really is the best, and most comprehensive asset protection guide on the market for small business owners, corporate mangers, and individuals interested in preserving their wealth.

I like the fact that the author proves that, when his asset protection strategies are put into place before financial problems arise, they are virtually beyond challenge, even to the extent of preserving an individual's entire wealth against the most significant of claims. I found it amazing that, with the right planning, millionaires can emerge from a major lawsuit or bankruptcy with no loss at all! Want to save a million dollars or all of the assets you have worked hard to create? Buy this book NOW and put a comprehensive asset protection plan in place based on the author's recommendations.

What do you need to know or do when someone close to you dies? The Survivor's Guide covers the many issues and concerns which suddenly arise in such cases, from questions about funerals, burials and handling fees to watching out for swindlers and setting the estate. Its focus on checklists and tools at a time when loss has just occurred makes for an important, essential guide packed with information. Highly recommended.

My Dad passed away suddenly and I was not sure what to do first. My friend recommended this book and it was great. It really told me what to do and what to think about each step along the way. It told me things to watch out for for from funeral directors and the writer was right! His advice about settling the estate was also useful. Everyone needs to read this book!

Wow -- what a great handbook to help in difficult times. Nobody wants to think about the subject, but at some point we all have to face planning a funeral for a loved one. It's well-written and informative. I highly recommend it.

V.K. Thornton made a difficult subject easy to read about. Excellent book to have as your parents get older and as life goes on. A good book.

The Survivor's Guide: What You Need To Know & What You Need To Do When Someone Close To You Dies by journalist and consumer advocate V. K. Thornton is a practical manual to coping with the difficult decisions that face people dealing with the end of a loved one's life. Emphasizing the point of "don't rush - you have more time to act than you think," The Survivor's Guide teaches the reader how not to be taken advantage of at a time when strong emotion can blind one to funeral business overcharging. From the hours after learning of a death in the family, to disposing of the body, planning a memorial service, dealing with the estate left behind and more, The Survivor's Guide is a very highly recommended guide especially focusing upon monetary realities arising from a death in the family.

Very informative book, lots of great ideas and real world examples. I learned alot reading this book.

My purpose in writing Wealth in Families is to encourage you to think deeply about the fundamental questions surrounding wealth and its effect on your family. If I am successful, you may find yourself choosing to alter the ways in which you plan and act with regard both to your wealth and to your family.

After 25 years working with individuals and families of wealth, I have discovered that the hardest, yet most rewarding, part of the planning process is asking essential questions about what people want to preserve - besides financial wealth - and how they can enhance each family member's growth.

These "why" questions surrounding family wealth are the most important ones, and yet they are rarely asked. The questions about the meaning and purpose of wealth should drive the thinking of individuals and families, and the resulting estate planning decisions and outcomes. Thinking about values first, products second. This book explores the meaning of wealth (Chapter 2), the amount of an appropriate inheritance (Chapter 3), family communication (Chapter 4), the development of a balanced approach to money (Chapter 5), financial education (Chapter 6), and the philanthropic impulse (Chapter 7). Several chapters include interviews with leading experts in the field of family wealth management.
--- from book's introduction

I had been wanting to read this book for a while. So I was very happy to see it back in print. This book focuses on intergenerational wealth management. A good deal of the focus is on people who have large amounts of wealth, something that would exclude me. But many of the lessons apply to regular people with modest savings. One of the best things it does is to debunk the myth that people should not discuss money with their family. It makes it clear how absolutely essential it is to teach the next generation about wealth, and its meaning. It also helps people understand that the real meaning of wealth goes beyond money and is really one's family and its values. I think anyone with children will benefit from reading this book.

Charles Collier has created a great question set for helping families establish better communication around the subjects of Human, Intellectual, Social and Financial Capital.

I have read the first and second editions of this book and have utilized the framework to help my clients with difficult topics.

It's a great book but I doubt the price. $99.99, is that really accurate? If it is then there will be lots of people disappointed when they get the book.

This is an outstanding book! Great for those who inherit any amount of money.

This book was wonderful. My father died 10 months ago and I just read this book. I wish I had found it earlier. The subjects discussed in this book are hard to share with others. Finally I realized there were others out there that felt as I have. I am going to be purchasing copies of this book to give to my attourney, the funeral director and my appraisor. My hope is that they will give them away to someone who is just starting to go through this processes. If you are an inheritor you need this book! It is also good for anyone to know information about estate planning.

This book is excellent for any inheritor. Although it does have some general advice on things to do, which is worth reading, it really made its mark regarding the emotional aspects of inheriting money. You might think "what's so emotional?" but when it happens, all sorts of feelings come out into the open. She gives examples of the reluctance of selling the vacation home where all the kids went every summer and liquidating the money from CD's that the parents felt was the safest investment. She does give some investment advice and also talks about "affluenza," the problem of raising children who don't really know the value of money (and working hard and not being instantly gratified) because the parents have money and can buy their children everything. In the end, she discuss the goal, to feel "heirworthy" where you can enjoy the money without all the emotional baggage. I would definitely recommend this book for both its psychological help as well as the investment advice.

Ann's book does a nice job of touching on a full range of emotions and feelings. The book wasn't heavy on specific advice, just all around good ideas that everyone should acknowledge when receiving an inheritance. It is a pretty light read with good examples and stories for anyone reading the book. I purchased copies for other members of my family to help them with our recent situation.

Ms. Perry (the GO FISH heiress) has written a book that covers both the emotional and the financial sides of getting an inheritance. I found her advise on both sides to be sensitive and helpful. I recommend reading this book before giving or coming into an inheritance.

Your Estate Matters is a great introduction to the whole topic of estate planning. I started reading this with little or no knowledge regarding any of the topics...trusts, estate plans, tax strategies, etc. I feel that I now have a good, basic understanding of them. This book is accessible to all, even the non-experts, but does not talk down to the reader in any way.

If you just came back from your lawyer and are having trouble understanding the difference between a living trust and a living will, this is the book for you! My dad used to tell me that you don't really understand something unless you can explain it to someone else. Patti can explain complex concepts like charitable trusts, remainder interests, and applicable exclusion amounts so that anyone can understand them. I particularly enjoyed the section on Estate Planning for the Family Business which included helpful discussions of how to plan for the business after the owner's retirement.

Patti Spencer, Esquire, is widely recognized as an authority on estate planning matters. She has written a weekly column in the Lancaster Intelligencer Journal, "Taxing Matters" since 1999. Her book, "YOUR ESTATE MATTERS" grew out of those weekly columns. Patti is known for her "down to earth" conversational style and for using humor in presenting what most times is a dry and dull subject. Patti presents very valuable information and advice which will enable the reader to greatly incerease their knowledge on the subject. The book is easy to read and helps debunk many myths about estate planning, including the one about: if you don't have a will, the state gets everything." This book is the one resource I have found that provides practical and understandable advice and reasonings regarding estate matters. Patti has really hit a home run with this book. It is a must read for anyone, from an individual, a retiree, a business person or anyone who is getting prepared to address their estate matters. In 35 years of professional life, this is one of those valuable resources that has the potential to have a profound impact on changing the way people think about the subject of estate planning. I highly recommennd this book and will be sure that my business clients, especially those with family owned businesses, get this book and read it cover to cover. It should become a part of every business owner's business survival kit and everyone's personal library.
J. Glenn Ebersole, Jr., Founder & Chief Executive, J. G. Ebersole Associates and The Renaissance Group (TM), and author of "Glenn's Guiding Lines - Thoughts From Your Strategic Thinking Coach" Newsletter.

The columns are interesting in themselves, but are much more searchable with an index and grouping by subject, starting from planning early in life, then progressing through changing needds at marraige, parenthood, retirment, and estate settlement. This is a great guide for learning about transfer of wealth and how the government is a party to it. The quotations at the beginning of some topics are a nice opeing statement to get you thinking philosophically about a subject, or just to give you a chuckle while reading an otherwise dry subject.

I was thrilled to find that someone finally wrote a resouce book that I can understand that answers my financial and estate planning questions! The author's sense of humor actually turned dull topics into fun reading. I recommend this book for anyone planning to see an attorney for a will or estate settlement. You'll be well prepared.

When my husband died he left me a three-ring notebook which we had labled the emergency book as it contained all the pertinent information about our financial, insurance, tax, etc. situations including the location of necessary documents such as wills to help settle the estate. This book is comparable and would help anyone become better organized to deal with daily and unexpected situations. With the three ring capability pages can be added that would personalize it to your special needs. sms

I bought this guide for myself, then my mother was diagnosed with cancer and passed away within seven months. The workbook pages really helped me to know what questions to bring up with her. It saved a lot of time and aggravation after she passed away when I wasn't emotionally able to handle tough decisions. There are so many extra tips in this workbook; it is helpful even if you are going on vacation and someone needs to housesit. This workbook is helpful if you're 25 or 75. I highly recommend it.

The Beneficiary Book is an icredible resource for organizing one's estate. It is well-designed and easy to use. And, it seems to cover all of the bases, so you don't have to rack your brain to figure out what you've forgotten! I also really like the hardcover looseleaf format, as it's easy to pull a page out, fill it in, and replace it. Well worth the cost.

A wonderful tool. This book has helped my family more than I can say. I highly recomend it.

The author begins with an interesting history of zoning and a pertinent critique of its application over the past 90 years.

He then introduces 10 pragmatic principles to improve the situation and make zoning tools match current urban concerns.

The approach is definitely evolutionary and not revolutionary.

Many practitioners who delve daily in zoning matters will consider this extremely useful.

Most land use books focus on urban design (e.g., Is it better to have 15' wide roads or 25' wide roads?), but this one focuses on the politics and the process. Getting to good design brought with back room deals and/or activist protests over years of permitting is an unsustainable model of growth. I cannot praise A Better Way to Zone enough for finally addressing the issue of governance. This book lays out how land use decisions are made and why, and how cities (and citizens) can do a better job of shaping the built environment through good governance. Please give it to everyone you know in local government, the building trades, and especially planners and land use activists.

Very easy to read and understand.
I will definitely pass this on to City Managers to help them in their work.

This book analyzes existing zoning codes, and proposes a few ways to make those codes simpler and more predictable. Unlike environmentalist and libertarian critics of zoning, Elliott does not propose a specific vision of urban form, nor does he wish to radically deregulate land use. Rather, he assumes that such radical reforms are unlikely, and seeks to make the status quo less complex and frustrating.

For example:

*Elliott criticizes out-of-control use regulation. When zoning was born in the 1920s, cities were divided into a few major zones: residential, commercial, industrial, etc. But large buildings in each of these categories often have more of an impact upon neighbors than smaller commercial buildings, and different types of commercial and industrial uses have different effects upon neighbors. As a result, landowners and their neighbors started requesting uses "like the status quo, but a little different" causing the number of zones to multiply. What's wrong with that? As zoning gets more complex, the amount of money and time required to administer zoning has grown.

Elliott's solution: divide zones uses into three major categories: single-family residential, mixed-use, and special purpose districts for unusual uses that don't fit well with other uses (such as airports). Single-family residential zones are necessary because that's what buyers want- even in pedestrian-friendy "new urbanist" developments, most houses are in blocks surrounded by houses, even if commercial zones are within walking distance. Mixed-use zones make sense because generally, multifamily housing fits together with commerce, and the line between commercial and light industrial activity is often so blurry that there is no reason for separate one from the other. To deal with problems of scale, there should be a broad range of zones within each category.

*Ellliott points out that zoning laws are often based upon standards common for new development at the fringe of a city. Where land is cheap and everything is new, landowners can easily comply with rules requiring lots of parking and building codes that go far beyond the minimum needed to protect safety. But in an older, denser area, landowners cannot recreate suburbia without tearing down lots of buildings- hardly a desirable result.

Elliott's solution: Separate development standards for mature neighborhoods, so that zoning preserves their established character rather than forcing landowners to redevelop to new standards or go out of business.

*Elliott is concerned that NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) activism has obstructed development; cities have decided that in addition to setting out zoning rules and approving rezonings, they would require "site plans" so their city councils could get a second look at the impacts of proposed development - thus giving NIMBYs a second chance (after rezoning is approved) to attack development. What's wrong with that? As the ability to build becomes less predictable, developers become scared to build in built-up areas with lots of neighbors; a developer is going to buy land only if it is reasonably certain about what it can build, and "second look" requirements decrease that certainty.

Elliott's solution: Final review of a builder's site plans should be performed by planning staff rather than by politicians. That way, once a city has decided that a developer's plans meet the city's zoning code, the developer won't be sabotaged late in the process through political pressure. And to balance NIMBY concerns about density with the public interest in redeveloping older neighborhoods and creating more affordable housing and office space, allow more compact development in ways that don't disrupt existing neighborhoods. For example, allow higher density not by building high-rises in residential areas, but by allowing accessory dwelling units within single-family homes, allowing each new subdivision to contain a few lots smaller than the rest, and allowing "dynamic zoning" that gradually changes over time (e.g. providing that a commercial area's height limit could be the height of the tallest building nearby plus one floor).

Elliott also criticizes some alternative visions of zoning regulation, such as form-based codes and a heavier reliance on comprehensive planning. According to Elliott, these tools work in some situations but not all: for example, form-based codes are quite effective in ensuring that memorable, beautiful places stay that way- but aren't really cut out to regulate areas where no one wants to build anything memorable. Comprehensive plans can be useful as long as they guide the city as a whole- but the need to remain flexible and respond to economic change means that today's industrial area might be tomorrow's loft district.

This book is an excellent financial primer, an introduction if you will, to investing in real estate and building your financial future. For the astute, experience investor, flipper, short tern owner, etc, this vbook may feel rather elementary. For the beginner it's perfect.

If you're a novice and want to get started building your financial foundation, this is the book for you. also consider The Millionaire Mind by Stanley. The Millionaire Mind

I thought this was a great book. Fun to read and very motivational. This is a must read for anyone who wants to uncover the secrets of becoming happy.

This book is a must read. I found it to be very motivating, inspirational, and highly informative. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking to get something more out of life.

I picked up this book after reading Tonja's other book, Bubble Proof (Bubble Proof: Real Estate Strategies that Work in any Market). I love her books. She is very motivating and very knowledgeable about changing your life and increasing your income through real estate.

This book is an excellent resource for anyone that wants some motivation and experience to draw from to set themselves in the right direction and mindset to becoming a millionaire.

This book confirms what most people within the housing industry already knew, that Dan Immergluck is perhaps the preeminent authority on all things related to the most recent crises currently plaguing the housing industry. The author lends a lot of credibility on the subject matter, given that he has been researching the effects of foreclosed properties for several years now and is not simply an example of the researcher who latches on to the most recent "flavor of the day". Given that the current foreclosure tsunami within the U.S. is nearing the three year mark, I would encourage all potential readers to make room within your summer reading list for this book.

As is typical with much of his earlier work on credit and the lending industry, Dan Immergluck takes a forensic approach of examining how we have gotten to where we are today. As a result, the reader is treated to a thorough historical examination of the banking system and all of those responsible for overseeing its development over the past few decades. Despite his notable dispassionate and evenhanded approach to presenting the material within the book, Immergluck's reporting will surely leave you outraged as to government's and industry's culpability in allowing unprepared first-time homeowners to enter such a vulnerable financial situation. For all those who feel that foreclosure is something that affects "the other guy", Immergluck's book serves as a sobering reminder that the foreclosure down the street has potentially far-reaching implications for even those who are responsible in their homeownership and mortgage situation. This fact alone should cause you to be concerned enough to read this book, for despite its disturbing message on the state of the current American housing market you cannot help but read further.

Andy Carswell, Ph.D.
Department of Housing & Consumer Economics
University of Georgia

Many things in life are so complex that they are never understood, or the very process of explaining them leaves us even more confused. The recent crisis in the residential mortgage market is a leading example of this. An individual residential mortgage can have features that most persons never understand (graduated payment adjustable rate mortgages with negative amortization??). When the layers of the seconday mortgage market with multiple tranches and derivatives are added, and then over 100 different forms of foreclosure laws are used, it is no wonder that most simply shake their heads and give up.
Dan Immergluck's "Foreclosed" is one of the most brilliant and powerful descriptions of the mortgage market to appear. It takes the entire mortgage industry and makes it clear and simple, without making it simplistic. If the industry, and the federal regulators, could have read this book we would not be facing the crisis of today.

Frank S. Alexander
Professor of Law
Emory University School of Law

The foreclosure crisis is complex and often confusing -- what with no docs, low docs, credit default swaps, GSE's, subprime loans, predatory loans, CMOs, tranches, etc., etc., etc. If you really want to understand the foreclosure issue, Immegluck's book is the best source. It is demanding material but he writes clearly and to-the-point, explaining all of the processes in simple English. Immegluck understands the mortgage business from the grassroots and from the heights of the global economic system. His explanation of "leveraging" -- why the relatively small American mortgage crisis played havoc with the international economy -- is alone worth the price of admission.

Immergluck has a point of view but it is not simplistic. He advocates a sound regulatory structure but not governmental allocation of credit. Neither a free marketer not a socialist, Immergluck writes out of the rich critical tradition of American progressivism. I wish all of the people who are making housing policy had read Immegluck's book. It is real contribution to clarifying the public debate about this difficult issue. Buy it and read it.

If you are going to read a book on the mortgage/foreclosure crisis - this is the one to start with - and perhaps end with.

There are already quite a few books out addressing -- either directly or indirectly -- the mortgage and financial crises and their origin in the subprime mortgage debacle. Many of them are superficial and some are simply filled with bad information. At the same time, although the book is from an academic press (Cornell) and so subject to correspondingly higher standards than most books hitting the shelves, it is highly readable.

None of the other books I have seen on this topic are as well researched, and as fundamentally sound, as Immergluck's Foreclosed. If you want to REALLY understand the mortgage mess, this is the book to read.

What a treasure! Ms. Meredith has made a superb contribution with her book "My Last Wishes..." She guides us toward a feeling of empowerment, helping us to discover who we are by thoughtfully and tactfully broaching this most important and inevitable experience. She offers helpful advice and insights, and with her keen sense of humor, allows us to laugh! Kudos to Joy Meredith!

We all know of stories where a loved one passes on and no one can speak to their wishes. Wouldn't it be easier to tell our loved ones what we would like? This book is the tool! It's an easy to fill out journal that covers a variety of areas including your life, how you envision your final service and how to plan ahead. Even though it's a heavy topic the book takes a serious but light look at important issues. Do your loved ones a favor and let them know your wishes using this book!

In the process of grieving for the sudden lost of a loved one, this book caught my eye and made me hopeful that the inevitable passing of future family and friends, and myself, may not be so difficult on the ones left behind.
The author somehow makes a simple read out of a taboo subject. Educational, sometimes witty, and straight to the point, this book covers everything you need to know about planning how you would like to be remembered and what you would like happen when your time is up. Good for the young and old alike. A great gift for those that you love.

I am not one to go on and on about how things can and should be done. Everyone has their own way through life, but this book is a great way to take stock of where you are in life and how you would want your life and death to be remembered and handled by those who you are leaving behind.

Why did I buy my first copy? Several of my good friends have lost their parents and grandparents in the past 12 months, and were really left numb while they confronted the last days and moments without any ideas of what do to do or say. After seeing and reading through this book in a local bookstore, I ordered 10 copies to share with them and a few others that are facing similar situations now.

I am already getting positive feedback from a friend who lost his dad last summer, ("I wish I had this 9 months ago."). I know my other friends aren't ready for this, or may be reluctant to face it, but I know when I look at how an unplanned death is handled it can be brutal and unforgiving; I will not leave that burden with my wife, child or parent. (Think about the mess going on with Anna Nicole Smith, if you doubt how tragic it can be. What is her daughter going to know about her mother's wishes for her life? NOTHING!)

I would recommend getting a copy for you and your loved ones. Especially for those you don't want to make the tough decisions for. Like to be left on life support or not; cremated -vs- buried; what to do with their kids, belongings and memories; who or what was your greatest loves and memories?

Since taxes and death are inevitable, why not plan to make your loved one's memories good ones, not painful second guesses?

BTW, it is a very good read, so don't be afraid you are sending a "Death Wish" to your friends or coworkers. You are giving them a little bit of love and food for thought!