Estate Planning Books

This book probably presents every scenario you can think of if you want to protect your estate. Reading this book will provide you with intelligent questions while you discuss your estate planning with your attorney.

The book is not only informative, but also entertaining and easy to read. No legaleez to wade through. I highly recommend it.

I felt the book was easy to read. Not one to be read in one sitting, however. I have done extensive estate planning, will preparation, and will updates. However, this book presented some options that I am considering. It also showed me a couple of loopholes that I thought I had closed, that I probably don't. Well worth the money and time to read. I expect to go back to this book several times. I will be taking it with me to an attorney appointment.

Estate planning is so important if you don't want your son in law running off with half your estate in the event of your kid's divorce. This book was a great asset to me ... and a real eyeopener as to what can happen at the reading of your will if you haven't equalized everything. the author even gives you his phone number that readers can call and ask questions free. The book is so good I bought 4 extra copies for friends.

Only estate book I've seen written in an easy-to-read, mini-case-study format. Very practical and thought-provoking advice. Tends to focus on little worst-case scenarios in an attempt to get people to plan properly for all the things that can go wrong in an estate.

For what it's worth, I thought the book was generally best-suited for estates with $100,000 to about $2,000,000 in assets. Don't get me wrong, there's something in here for all estate sizes - especially for people just starting the process of developing a plan. However, don't buy this book looking for technical discussions of advanced tax-minimizing strategies. If you or your clients have estates over this $2MM mark, this book can be a great thought-provoker, but some of the advice isn't really suitable for larger estates.

I have several estate planning books...the "how to" type and they are great. This is the book you need to read before you start filling in the blanks. I wish my parents had read this book. It would have saved my family relationships. This book gives you the basic information you need before drawing up your trust. Protect your beneficiaries and prevent family conflict by reading this book!

This is a very good book, I've read several real estate books in the past and this one is one of the better ones. Content is more down to the real world and has a lot of number crunching which is great. Recommended reading.

This is a book that turns conventional wisdom on it's ear. This book was eye-opening for me in much the same way that "Rich Dad Poor Dad" was years ago. This book is a great starting point for anyone interested in real estate investing. I also recommend looking up their podcast on I-tunes called "The Real Estate Guys".

I learned of the book through a weekly podcast of Real Estate Guys Radio, which is hosted by the authors. I have read many books on real estate investing, but this one really challenged my thinking on several philosophies. (I hate to admit this, but I had some similar ideals to the fictitious Conrad Soomer in the introductory section).

Since finishing the book, I have created a written plan and made an offer on a six unit apartment building. I have also re-evaluated my previous guiding principle of paying down loans faster and am planning to pull some equity out of existing properties.

I strongly recommend this to any reader who understands that real estate investing is a proven way to build net worth, but needs a kick in the pants to get started.

I gained so much from reading (and re-reading sections) of the book, I bought copies for all my RE partners. I read A LOT of real estate books and was very impressed with the ideas and the presentation. A must for newbies to help you get the concepts down and experienced people to reflect and review and learn some new things.

These guys have a great and entertaining way of writing about real estate. They are also honest, there's none of this "make a million overnight with real estate" garbage. Instead they lay out the foundations for changing your mindset, which a lot of books dont even mention. How are you going to win at the real estate game if you have the wrong mental attitude and work ethic going in? After they change your attude, they lay the foundation for getting started in real estate, and telling you realistically that there will be ups and downs, but over the long haul, like a 15 year or more period, you will make substantial wealth with real estate. Loved the tone of the book as well, funny and frank with their information. They have a home study course, which I'm sure goes into more detail than this book does, and I'm going to order it. But this book is a great place to start.

The best way one can prevent themselves from becoming a burden on their families as they age is making sure the money they saved for their retirement stays saved for retirement and is only used for that purpose. "Alive and Kicking: Legal Advice... for Boomers!" grants legal advice so you can keep your money so when you finally do go and kick that bucket, your family has something other than massive debts to remember you by. Tips on Living wills, scams and identity theft, caring for your own parents in your own advanced age, issues involving age discrimination, driving, sex, and more are covered. While treating itself as a law book first, "Alive and Kicking: Legal Advice... for Boomers!" isn't afraid to crack a joke or bust out a poem now and again, giving a different and attractive flavor, making it highly recommended for anyone who is rapidly approaching retirement age and wants to be prepared for it in the modern world. Also recommended to community library law shelves.

What I liked about the book is the vast amount of useful information on all areas of planning for ones over age 50 years. And its a book that my son who is under age forty, found interesting, because it discusses issues that many people may never have thought about. It also is a book that dispells the notion that becoming sixty or older, means getting 'old' and unable to do many of the things we love doing in our forties or fifties. Cannot recommend the book enough.

Who would have thought that serious and important legal and financial matters could not be dished out with generous helpings of humor? This book clearly proves that theory wrong. An easy read, the authors never skip a beat when it comes to thoroughly discussing what readers need to know about boomer legal matters. I've recommended this book on many occasions.

This book is a humorous treatment of the serious business of the legal aspects of aging. Chock full of useful information and every page is entertaining.

Whether your reading preference is poetic, humorous, pragmatic, or just plain down to earth, Hegland and Fleming cover difficult legal issues in a way that makes you want to keep reading! This information is must to have in every home, whether yet boomers or not!

My Mother passed away and we thought all the paperwork was in order and it was not. I got this book from Amazon and it has outlined every detail and possible stituation. I went and got all the forms and and in the middle of probate right now. Very, very well written for a simple probate case and non complicated estates.
If there are people who will contest the will or complicated properties, business deals; most likely, you will need a lawyer and probating yourself will not work. But if it is very clear and simple, you can probabe yourself. Great book, worh every penny spent on it.

This book really helped my wife go through the probate process for her mother's estate. Highly recommended book!

This is a great book for going through the probate process. It takes
you through the entire process and explains all the jargon. The only
problem I had with it is that if your probate includes anything which
is a little out-of-the-ordinary, e.g., heirs/beneficiaries who may contest the will, it does not help. However, one book cannot cover 100% of
the possible cases. This book probably covers 95% of the probate cases
and is helpful even if you are one of the "odd-cases" and you are not familiar with the probate process.

If you can only purchase one book on probate in California, this book should be your first stop. I am in the process of probating my mother's estate and I will save at least $20,000 by using this book. There a dozens of forms, tips and tons of information on the subject. If you are motivated and organzed, this is the guide to help you avoid the high cost of attorneys in probate. I cannot urge you STRONGLY enough to use this book as your guide to probate in California.

After my mother passed away and I was named executor, I discovered something: California's probate system is a massive, elaborate joke designed to make lawyers rich. It's incomprehensible how convoluted the process is, and how absolutely ZERO help is available. (The court clerks I turned to answered every question with this: "I can't tell you! I'm not a judge!" And, of course, it's not like you can contact a judge.) Imagine trying to file the tax returns for Microsoft without any training or instructions: that's just a hint of what you're in for here.

Armed with this book, though, I got through the process. And -- against all odds, and despite the ridiculous restrictions and obfuscations this laughable legal system imposes on people WHOSE PARENTS JUST DIED -- I got all the way through probate, saving something like $10,000 in legal fees.

So, if your estate doesn't have much money -- or the legal system just bugs the heck out of you, and you refuse to fling hard-earned money at those charlatans -- get this book and thank your lucky stars it exists.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

An informative, practical and easy to read planner. Kudos to the author.

Required reading for those wishing to estate plan with a systematic and informed approach. Excellent step by step directions help the reader learn information needed to work efficiently with an estate planner or other professionals and achieve desired results. Unique, innovative charts, flow diagrams and planning documents clarify concepts difficult to grasp through words alone. If you have an estate plan in place this excellent volume will confirm its appropriateness and provide helpful fine-tuning tips. This book contains all the various scenarios of estate planning allowing the reader to choose the relevant ones. It is interesting, well written and a valuable reference resource.

This book, like it's earlier volumns is a must read for anyone facing the challenges of estate planning either for themselves or their loved ones.

The "60-Minute Estate planner" does the best job I've seen of being comprehensive, and yet easy to read at the same time. The graphic flow charts with their accompanying tables are a great aid to understanding. Even if you're not planning your estate this book is important to read. The book deepens your appreciation of how important it is for the Congress to repeal federal death taxes.

The 60-Minute Estate Planner has been an invaluable resource. I have all three editions and continue to find this book very useful. It provides quick and accurate answers to a variety of questions. This is the best book I've seen on estate planning.

H. Thuesen

Great estate planning ideas and stories to get you thinking about how you want to provide for your loved ones, so that as you do your estate planning you can also transmit your family values.

This is a great book for anyone in the financial services industry or for those specializing in estate planning. These are real world cases that illuminate the need for proper planning by a qualified professional. This is also a great book if you are planning your own estate or you find yourself thrown into managing an estate for parents or loved ones. I can't say enough good things about this book or its authors.

I enjoyed the book, Best Intentions, and have given copies to several friends. It includes real-life examples that are easy to understand and addresses hard to face issues well. For those of us 'Baby Boomers' who do have the best of intentions for loved ones we will someday leave behind, it is a good way to start the dialogue and plans for the inevitable.

Using real stories, the author tried to tell you just a will may not be enough. You have to think, plan carefully before writing a will to make sure it is what you want to do with your leftover.

The stories show you a lot you never thought of. Worth reading for everyone.

An excellent book -- the best I've ever read on the subject. As a financial advisor I can't recommend it enough. Most find estate planning confusing. This book is not confusing. It's an easy read. Each simple, short, touching story illustrates a different problem that can arise by not doing good estate planning. It will make you think about your own situation with more clarity than was possible before. This book could be called Chicken Soup For Your Legacy.

This is an excellent read for the lay person trying to either understand what the steps are to plan her disposition wishes or confrm that she has put everything in the proper order. The author writes in clear easy to understand language and neatly summarizes the key points of each chapter at the end of each chapter. Women need to take more care of their financial life and reading this book can be the first step.

As an author and a practicing attorney in the field of estate planning, I am always on the lookout for materials, particularly readable books, that clearly, simply, and accurately explain some of the unfortunately complicated issues that clients must understand in developing and planning their estates. This concern is a bit compounded when one is dealing with women clients, since in many instances their circumstances are often unique. Thus, I was positively thrilled with the publication of Attorney Annino's book, "Women & Money." In a clear and accurate way, Patricia covers virtually every issue that women face in planning their estates. I cannot recommend the book more highly, and in fact I am planning to purchase a supply of copies to give to my own clients.

Alexander A. Bove, Jr.
Boston, Massachusetts

As an attorney practicing in the field of estate planning, I read Patricia Annino's book hoping to find it a good resource for my women clients. Not only will I be reommending Women & Money to my clients, but am giving a copy to my mother for Mother's Day this year! The book presents a lot of complicated estate planning, financial, and tax matters in easy to understand terms with clear and realistic examples that women can easily relate to whether they are single, married, divorced, or widowed. In addition to explaining the legal aspects of planning, Patricia gives great tips, hints, and practical advice throughout the book. I definitely recommend it.

Here, at long last, is a book that provides women a roadmap of the financial world. No matter how hectic your life might be, this book is worth the time to read. Patricia Annino's depth of expertise is demonstrated through storytelling. She makes it easy to face financial questions that are so often emotionally intimidating. Whether you are single, married, divorced or widowed, whether you are living alone or responsible for others, this book is a gem precisely because it raises the right questions and provides a menu of answers. This book stands to become a classic. Mothers will sent copies to their daughters with notes in the margin. Young single women will read the book in their 20's and go back to it again and again as their life unfolds.

Annino's book provides the basic legal knowledge women need to deal with problems such as caring for elderly parents or young children, preparing for death or disability of self or spouse, whether to buy insurance, etc. However, there is no dry legalese: the advice is straightforward and abundantly illustrated with interesting stories from her law practice. In chapters aimed at women in various stages (divorcing, single, married, etc.) Annino seems to be having a personal conversation directly with the reader, offering lots of practical advice. Even has a fashionably pretty cover! Ladies: start your studies with this book.

If I could, I would thank Winonah LaDuke in person for writing such an important, informative and engaging book on the travesty that is the North American government's view of native land and those who inhabit it. The numerous tribes who make the land their home are forced to co-exist with the insensitive, selfish and literally toxic decisions made by government and corporations who dump tons upon tons of toxic pesticides in their water and on "abandoned" land. These lands are also subject to divebombings from military jets. These are illegal decibel levels that drive those within hearing range to points of mental instability, as well as potential hearing loss.

One of the most important quotes from this book that I remember (since I read this book a couple of years ago in a Native/African-American Women's Studies course) was from a Seminole leader who said, "Selling your land for a price is like selling a piece of your mother." [I paraphrase this.] I couldn't agree more. When I remember that quote, I think about all of the animals, vegetation and tribes (consisting of families and friends) who have lived off of the land of the United States, as well as Canada. How can one possibly put a price on something that can't truly be owned by anyone and is its own autonomous entity. Even if people have the illusion that they can occupy land as territory (because of treaties, as an example) does not mean that it is ever their to keep. LaDuke makes several strong examples of this in the book. We can't continue to pollute, abuse and neglect land without paying a price environmentally or in terms of human quality of life and mortaiity. I believe everyone should read this book, regardless of occupation, national origin or territorial location. We need to face the damage done before more of it goes unacknowledged. Thank you, Winonah.

Spoon-fed news by large media corps, few were aware that Winona LaDuke ran for the vice presidency under Ralph Nader in the 2000 elections. Even fewer know that she is also a Native American eco-philosopher with a critical perspective on the health and future prosperity of America. All Our Relations is particularly instructive, in that LaDuke surveys the entire American landscape (and by landscape, I am not merely referring to the political landscape), showing the deep connections that exist between local cultures, their environments, and the corporate-governmental giants that often compromise their health. Although LaDuke has specifically focused on Native American communities, the stories are engaging and instructive for Americans in general. Informative, powerful, and transformative, LaDuke here provides an antidote for our increasing alienation from the land and biota that sustain us. A must read for any conscious American.

ALL OUR RELATIONS by Indigenous Activist Winona LaDuke is a must read for everyone who cares about our earth. LaDuke presents the state of the environment focusing on several land, treaty rights and toxic exposure struggles on reservations across North America and in Hawaii. Since I met Winona when she was an economics student at Harvard, she has been at the heart of struggles and gains made by indigenous communities, always bringing a keen intellect, diligent research, unswerving commitment, and a broad vision of the whole circle to community and tribal issues.
Because I've known many of the people involved in the essential work LaDuke describes in ALL OUR RELATIONS, it was a personal pleasure to read this book and catch up with what Susannah Santos and her cousins are doing on the Columbia River, be updated on Luana Busby and Melani Trask and the Hawaiian indigenous movement and to get the inside details of the complex political fight Winona's son's father and his people are up aqainst at St. James Bay. But this book will fascinate anyone who cares about our earth, families and communities. It is one to read from end to end, then keep around to re-read again and again.
LaDuke calls the work these tribal communities do to protect their people and landbase from pollution and corporate greed, "soul-retrieval." It is work that we all need to do whatever our ethnic background, since as LaDuke's reportage on the presence of PCBs in mother's breastmilk in the Northeast attests, everyone is affected by what we are doing to the earth. Winona is a mother who has no illusions about how the choices we make as consumers affect the earth and our communities' health. What is most inpiring about LaDuke's writing and life is that she offers solutions. Each chapter not only outlines the problem, but it talks about solutions that are being implemented and suggests others that should be employed. Winona walks her talk. LaDuke has been a strong proponent of wind energy and has worked to engage major corporations like Ben & Jerry in developing wind energy projects on Indian Reservations in South Dakota. Native Harvest and White Earth Land Recovery Project have reclaimed White Earth land and developed sustainable reservation businesses that employ and train White Earth tribal members. Winona LaDuke would be a great President because she is the only public figure who has a sensible plan for economic self-sufficiency, the clarity to explain it to the American people, and the discipline and steadfastness to enact it.

Winona Laduke ran as vice president alongside Ralph Nader. It would be truly amazing if this woman had become our vice president (for many reasons). It is my hope that some day she will be our vice president (or president). Her views on the environment and its effect upon animals and people (particularly babies, children and pregnant/nursing mothers) are exactly how I feel. She expresses these views eloquently in these quotes by Lil'wat grandmother Loretta Pascal, "Where did you get your right to destroy these forests? How does your right supercede my rights? These are our forests, these are our ancestors."(p.5), by Ted Strong, "If this nation has a long way to go before all of our people are truly created equally without regard to race, religion, or national origin, it has even further to go before achieving anything that remotely resembles equal treatment for other creatures who called this land home before humans ever set foot upon it...."(p.5), and by Katsi Cook, "Why is it we must change our lives, our way of life, to accommodate the corporations, and they are allowed to continue without changing any of their behavior?"(p.12). Reading this book you will feel sorrow, and be inspired to action. Most of what was said in this book I already knew a little about, but through this book I understood the depth and complexity of all the factors. I can not recommend this book enough. She tells the truth of our world with a powerful clarity. She tells the stories of many Native American Tribes throughout North America (Canada and the United States, including a chapter on Hawaii). She ends the book with the optimism that it is possible for us to make change, but it is up to us.

To think this woman could be our Vice President today. Most people don't even know that Winona LaDuke ran for Vice President on Ralph Nader's ticket. An articulate and passionate writer, LaDuke presents an awareness of the plight of America unsurpassed by any other. She knows what's wrong. She knows what needs to be done. She knows who is doing the work, how and why. She presents her advocacy as human, heartfelt and real. I learned things about what is happening to this country that I would never have known otherwise. You certainly don't see it in the news, and you don't learn about it in school. We're in trouble, folks, and it's not too late to do something about it. With more power she could have made such a difference! But she continues to work on the issues, and it is so important that more people are aware of her work. Please, please, please read this book. It is the most important book you will read all year.

I've been left to pick up the pieces after a loved one's death and would not wish that experience on my family. That said, exactly because the subject was so intensely emotional, I'd put off meaningful gathering and preparation.

A recent experience I watched unfold showed me how selfish that approach was and I started looking for a method to pull together information. This book came highly recommended, and I liked the idea of the accompanying CD-Rom.

We've been making progress with our worksheets (I printed one file for each of us, with a master file for joint things like checking/savings accounts and our home). When we're almost done, we'll sit down with a professional and use this material to develop a living trust.

The author's manner throughout is professional and yet compassionate. Instructions are easy to understand, yet there's not a feel that you're being talked down to. You also can hop from one place to another in the book and worksheets as your information and mood take you.

I'd add these suggestions to the process:

* If you don't already have a grid of account numbers, simply gather your monthly statements now, while you're waiting for the book to arrive, and add new statements as they come in.

* "Tax time" is a perfect time to work on the financial sections, since you've probably got a lot of materials more at your fingertips than you do at other times of year.

* Practice security wisely. Keep the material at home, preferably locked up. Although you can work on the files on your computer, I would advise very strongly against leaving them on your drive. Either secure the printouts or archive your documents on a removable drive, which you then secure.

* There's a note that no tech support is available for non-Windows user. I have found that the CD operates easily and flawlessly on the Mac OS X platform.

* If you're reluctant for time or emotional reasons, you'll find that you can get a lot done in 20-minute chunks. For the same reason, turn to the portions where you indicate your wishes (remembrance service? full-blown viewing and service?) since your voice will provide comfort and solace to those you leave behind.

(This review is of the second edition of the book, which was purchased directly from Amazon.)

We were hoping to set up a will and living directive, but the CD didn't have that. The forms are in PDF format so you print them off and fill them out?? Not sure why that is, deliver a Word doc so people can type it in. It's a great get all the information together type of book, just not great on the other parts of what to do if you become incapacitated type situations.

My mother died suddenly and left her estate in a total mess. I was left shocked, grief-stricken and alone in struggling to make sense of what needed to be done. I wouldn't wish that ordeal on anyone let alone on those I love. This workbook and companion organizer is the perfect solution. Nothing will be left to guesswork if I am incapacitated or dead. It is thorough yet simply organized and written from a compassionate perspective. It is a gift of love to provide this kind of direction to those who must make decisions on your behalf.

Everyone has important paperwork and legal information which loved ones should have access to: GET IT TOGETHER: ORGANIZE YOUR RECORDS SO YOUR FAMILY WON'T HAVE TO appears in its second updated edition to tell how to sort important records, help your family find needed information, and how to do so with or without a computer in hand. Step-by-step descriptions of what documents will be needed, how to organize and protect them, and how to provide selected users with keys for finding them quickly make GET IT TOGETHER a top pick for any public library reference section.

I bought this book thru Amazon in June 2006 because of my experiences working with a close friend who had just lost his father rather unexpectedly. My friend faced a monstrous task of trying to track down his father's assets, business records, last will, credit accounts, etc. just to scratch the surface. As a participant in his frustration, I began to think about the arrangement of my personal life and how my loved ones would tend to my estate.

"Get It Together" brings so much to the table to deal with. I think most people refuse to face their mortality and the task of making such arrangements, let alone there really is a large volume of papers, decisions, conversations, and organization to be handled. GIT is very thorough in all topic areas (see Table of Contents). The book discusses the emotions involved with each topic area, numerous websites to obtain additional information, what to get a copy of, keeping the info current and arranging your "estate" or life, for that matter, to benefit those close to you.

My parents or other people I look up to would never or be highly uncomfortable discussing these topics in detail. This book is perfect to compensate for the lack of those conversations. Now, just a warning for those willing to purchase and conform to this book. I was quite diligent in following all their instructions and recommendations to the "t". It took longer than expected, about 12 weekends, until I had gathered and organized everything to my satisfaction and I don't have a wife, kids or other complicated situations...just me alone.

But I have such a peace of mind that my successors will have no trouble making decisions or tracking down stuff because it's all there with explicit directions from me. I find going forward that I try to keep my life organized in a simple fashion and refuse to take on unnecessary stuff that I will need to add to my planner. And I feel no stress at all looking at my desk now because all the meaningless clutter is gone and GIT was a big reason for that.

Finally, the greatest resource is the forms CD included with the book, which saves a great deal of time when the organizing process starts and got me unstuck in some areas.