Estate Planning For Dummies

Planning for your family's future made easy! If you’re like most people, you want to be sure that, once you’ve passed on, no more of your property and money will be lost to the government than is absolutely necessary. You want to know that you’ll be leaving your heirs your assets and not your debts. You want to be absolutely certain that your will is ship-shape, your insurance policies are structured properly, and that every conceivable hole in your estate plan has been filled. And most of all, you’d like to do all of this without driving yourself crazy trying to make sense of the complicated jargon, jumble of paperwork, and welter of state and federal laws involved in the estate planning process. Written by two estate planning pros, this simple, easy-to-use guide takes the pain out of planning for your ultimate financial future. In plain English, the authors walk you step-by-step through everything you need to know to: Put your estate into order Minimize estate taxes Write a proper will Deal with probate Set up trusts Make sure your insurance policies are structured properly Plan for special situations, like becoming incompetent and pet care Craft a solid estate plan and keep it up-to-date Don’t leave the final disposition of your estate up to chance and the whims of bureaucrats. Estate Planning For Dummies gives you the complete lowdown on: Figuring out what you're really worth Mastering the basics of wills and probate Using will substitutes and dodging probate taxes Setting up protective trusts, charitable trusts, living trusts and more Making sense of state and federal inheritance taxes Avoiding the generation skipping transfer tax Minimizing all your estate-related taxes Estate planning for family businesses Creating a comprehensive estate plan Straightforward, reader-friendly, easy-to-use, Estate Planning For Dummies is the ultimate guide to planning your family’s future.

Navigate probate, tax issues, and state laws Create an estate plan and protect your family's interests Need a will, but have no idea where to start? This friendly guide shows youhow to prepare a legal will or trust — either on your own or with professional help — and ensure that your wishes are honored. You'll handle everything from planning your bequests and writing and signing a will to selecting a trust and drafting your durable power of attorney. Discover how to: Provide for your children Hire and work with professionals Minimize tax liabilities Amend or revoke a will or trust Avoid common estate planning mistakes Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.

Your plain-English guide to administering an estate and/or trust As more and more of the population reach senior ages—including baby boomers, many of whom do not have wills—an increasing number of people are being thrust into the role of executor, administrator, personal representative of an estate, or trustee of a trust after the death of a loved one. This updated edition of Estate & Trust Administration For Dummiesguides you through the confusing process of administering an estate and/or trust. Settling an estate and administering a trust can be complicated, messy, and time-consuming for individuals named as executor or trustee, most of whom have no previous experience with such matters. Estate & Trust Administration For Dummies shows you how to make sound decisions for your unique circumstances. Guides you through the confusing process of administering an estate and/or trust Provides expert advice on unfamiliar estate and trust tax law Gives you a practical checklist to follow for all of your estate and trust administration questions and concerns Whether you're looking for guidance on how to navigate the probate process and estate taxes, settle debts and bequests, fund a trust, comply with tax regulations, or anything in between, this hands-on, friendly guide takes away the mystery and provides detailed answers to all of your estate and trust administration questions.

Get your arms around wills, trusts, probate, inheritance taxes, and other important estate planning essentials Estate Planning For Dummies teaches you the ins and outs of estate planning. It’s all about drafting wills, dealing with probate, assigning powers of attorney, establishing living trusts, and beyond. Think you don’t have enough assets to merit estate planning? Think again. This everyone-friendly guide walks you through building a solid estate plan, whatever your current financial situation. In easy-to-understand language, you’ll learn the ins and outs of estate planning, including what happens to your stuff—cash, real estate, businesses, retirement funds, everything—when you pass away. This new edition is updated for the many recent changes in estate taxes and inheritance law. Make sure your assets get into the pockets of your heirs or wherever you want them to go, and learn how to accomplish it the For Dummies way. Understand state and federal estate and inheritance taxes Build an air-tight will and make sure your heirs get as much as they can Protect your estate’s privacy even after you’re gone Plan for the transition of a family business Prevent disagreements and uncertainty among your heirs Figure out how to pass on your digital assets This friendly guide is a must for people of any age in the process of drafting their wills and planning where their assets ultimately end up.

Discover the ins and outs of planning your own or your loved one’s last wishes with this easy-to-understand guide to estate planning. No one likes to talk about death, but being prepared for any unexpected tragedy can help your loved ones navigate your loss more easily in the long run. From creating your advanced medical directives to designating your beneficiaries, estate planning can ensure that your wishes are carried out when you are no longer around. With Estate Planning 101, you can get your affairs in order before any unfortunate incident occurs. This easy-to-understand guide comes with detailed information on what needs to be done to protect your estate. With information on creating a living will, minimizing estate taxes, choosing an executor, and more, you will be prepared for the future, no matter what it brings. Estate Planning 101 offers you step-by-step instructions and checklists to keep you organized for whatever life throws your way.

Planning how to pass your estate on doesn’t have to mean complications, legal jargon and huge bills. Wills, Probate and Inheritance Tax For Dummies, 2nd Edition takes you through the process step-by-step and gives you all the information you need to ensure that your affairs are left in good order. It shows you how to plan and write your will, minimise the stress of probate, and ensure that your nearest and dearest are protected from a large inheritance tax bill. Discover how to: Decide if a will is right for you Value your assets Leave your home through a will Appoint executors and trustees Choose beneficiaries Draw up a DIY will Work out how inheritance tax works and if you’re liable to it Find out what can and can’t be taxed

Baby boomers heading into their retirement years must take the time to ensure that their estates are in order—and that means a lot more than just preparing a will and naming an executor. Insurance, taxes, and planning for Medicare and Medicaid are among the crucial considerations in planning for the future. Completely revised and updated, Estate Planning Made Easy, Third Edition shows individuals why they need more than just a will and an executor, options for conserving wealth, and advice on putting together a comprehensive estate plan. This third edition includes extensive revisions to tax legislation, which has changed significantly over the last few years, leaving most American’s clueless. Features: * Changes to Tax Legislation * How seniors can best plan for Medicare and Medicaid * How to obtain the best cash flow with an equity-rich home * Tax legislation regarding 401k’s IRA’s, and pensions * Strategies to help reduce estate size and give to children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, without jeopardizing annual gift allowances * Premium financing of life insurance * Information on social security, private annuities, and state inheritance tax

Estate and Trust Administration For Dummies, 2nd Edition (9781119543879) was previously published as Estate and Trust Administration For Dummies, 2nd Edition (9781118412251). While this version features a new Dummies cover and design, the content is the same as the prior release and should not be considered a new or updated product. Your plain-English guide to administering an estate and/or trust As more and more of the population reach senior ages—including baby boomers, many of whom do not have wills—an increasing number of people are being thrust into the role of executor, administrator, personal representative of an estate, or trustee of a trust after the death of a loved one. This updated edition of Estate & Trust Administration For Dummies guides you through the confusing process of administering an estate and/or trust. Settling an estate and administering a trust can be complicated, messy, and time-consuming for individuals named as executor or trustee, most of whom have no previous experience with such matters. Estate & Trust Administration For Dummies shows you how to make sound decisions for your unique circumstances. Guides you through the confusing process of administering an estate and/or trust Provides expert advice on unfamiliar estate and trust tax law Gives you a practical checklist to follow for all of your estate and trust administration questions and concerns Whether you're looking for guidance on how to navigate the probate process and estate taxes, settle debts and bequests, fund a trust, comply with tax regulations, or anything in between, this hands-on, friendly guide takes away the mystery and provides detailed answers to all of your estate and trust administration questions.

The best legal guide to wills and estates—with more than 80,000 copies sold—now updated to cover the current asset protection options and estate laws Whether grappling with modest or extensive assets, The Complete Book of Wills, Estates, and Trusts has long been the indispensable guide for protecting an estate for loved ones. In this completely revised third edition, updated to cover the latest changes in estate law, attorney Alexander A. Bove, Jr., clearly explains • how to use a will to avoid probate and legal complications • how trusts work and how to use trusts to save taxes • how to contest a will and how to avoid a contest • how to settle an estate or make a claim against one • how to establish a durable power of attorney • how to protect assets from creditors In his straightforward and humorous style, Bove shares easy-to-understand legal definitions, savvy advice on taxes, and pragmatic and simple sample forms, all illustrated with entertaining examples and actual cases. The Complete Book of Wills, Estates, and Trusts is the best guide available for defending your financial legacy

Designed to raise people?s awareness of the need to plan for themselves and those they love. Whether they are tackling the subject for the first time or revising an existing plan, this book is an essential guide. Includes tax law changes effective in 2010 and how they apply to readers.