Thursday, October 18, 2012

Book review: Estate Planning Essentials (Wills, Trusts, Probate)

"Estate Planning Essentials" is easy to read, it has rich content and is quite extensive. I am including a complete table of content at the end of this review so you can see exactly how extensive it is and what is covered.

I think this kit is useful whether you plan to go to a lawyer or do it yourself. Even if you go to the lawyer this book is helpful because, for example, it will help you determine what type of will you need. It talks no only about advantages of Living Trusts, but disadvantages as well. A few years ago my company had a benefits fair where they invited some legal firm to talk to us, and I recall that company tried convince everyone that they needed to set up a trust. I had a suspicion that they were just trying to sell an expensive option to everyone not just to the people who really needed it. If I had this book it would have given me an unbiased explanation who needs a trust and who does not.

In addition to wills and trusts, it covers probate and probate avoidance measures.  As well as a section on avoiding estate taxes.  There are a lot of tips and small details that I would not have thought of on my own.

This book includes not only explanations but worksheets and forms. It also has line by line instructions on how to fill out the official forms.

This is the second addition of the book.  The basic information in the book will continue to be educational and correct even with the passing of time, but some laws such as taxes may change. Keep this in mind as the publication date gets further away in time.

Overall, I found this to be a very helpful book. Not only was it helpful with the forms, but it helped me organize my thoughts and served as a reminder of the things to think about.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★★

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