Understanding Living Trusts

Written in clear, conversational English, this book can help anyone understand how a living trust avoids the complications, expenses, and delays of probate at times of incapacity and death.

Hailed as America's best book on living trusts, "Understanding Living Trusts(r)" has been a favorite of consumers and professionals for more than 25 years. Previous editions have sold almost 400,000 copies! This sixth edition, which replaces all previous editions, is current with 2015 tax laws and is the most comprehensive and up-to-date available. It is a must-read for individuals and families with all size estates, and makes an ideal gift for friends and grown children. In these 302 easy-to-read pages, award-winning writer Vickie Schumacher explains in clear, conversational English how you can lose control when you have a will; when you have no plan; when you use joint ownership; when you give away assets; and when you rely on beneficiary designations. She then explains how a living trust can give you maximum control, both at incapacity and after you die; the many benefits beyond avoiding probate; and why a living trust meets the needs of today's families far better than any other estate plan. This book is also your personal action plan for having a living trust. You will learn what a living trust is, how it works, and the steps you'll need to take to set up one; what to consider when deciding how you want your loved ones to inherit from you; how to find the right attorney to prepare your living trust; how to organize information your family will need; and step-by-step instructions for your family if you become incapacitated and after you die. "Understanding Living Trusts(r)" is filled with charts, examples, and checklists, including a Personal and Financial Organizer that will help you prepare to meet with your attorney. All of this education and preparation will save you considerable time and money. Instead of paying hundreds of dollars an hour for an attorney to educate you, you can learn the basics of estate planning and living trusts in the comfort of your own home, on your own time, for just the cost of this book

A do-it-yourself manual for making your own living trust, with checklists, step-by-step procedures, worksheets, and forms.

The failproof way to pass along your estate to your heirs without lawyers, courts, or the probate system.

The fifth edition of this bestseller is packed with the most complete and easy-to-read information on Living Trusts, Wills, probate, taxes and estate planning strategies. Includes step-by-step action plan and free access to directory of estate planning attorneys. Previous editions sold over 350,000 copies.

Readers say it best: "Very informative." "Saved me a lot of money and headaches!" "Recommend it for everyone who has to plan estates for their elderly parents" Living Trusts for Everyone is the best resource for setting up a living trust. Explaining in specific terms what benefits a trust will have, Ronald Farrington Sharp gives the tools necessary to set up a loved one’s trust with no lawyers and no expense. Wills benefit lawyers. Trusts benefit the clients. Too often lawyers sell wills to clients only to sit back and wait to sell their probate services to their clients’ heirs. Ronald Farrington Sharp describes the best way to handle modern estate planning and details the many advantages trusts have over wills in not only eliminating probate but in also protecting your assets for your heirs. Sharp explains why legal services are not needed to do the clerical work in settling a trust after death. This updated edition includes new information on an array of subjects, including: Elimination of the federal estate tax for most estates due to increased exemption amounts Online assets The use of passwords, usernames, and websites Keeping trustees honest and the process of removing trustees for malfeasance Forms for simplifying the planning process Strategies to lower attorneys’ fees With no legal jargon, just step-by-step instructions and sample form letters, Living Trusts for Everyone takes the mystery out of the process of setting up a trust.

WE THE PEOPLE No lawyers. Save money. We The People is America's largest legal document services company. Dedicated to helping every American avoid the high cost of legal fees, We The People gives you the information you need to handle your own legal filings quickly, easily, and inexpensively. Hundreds of thousands of Americans have already liberated themselves from the tyranny of attorneys' fees--and now you can too! We The People's Guide to Estate Planning makes planning for your future as painless as possible--all without the added hassle of hiring a lawyer. This practical, nuts-and-bolts guide covers all the basics of do-it-yourself estate planning, and covers everything you need to know about living trusts, wills, probate, and estate taxes. Extra resources--a glossary of estate planning terminology; a section on frequently asked questions; samples of effective living trusts and a last will and testament; as well as worksheets and essential information on how to settle an estate--make this the best resource available for this important step in planning for the future. You'll have all the information you need to understand the legal language of a will or living trust and learn how to seek state-specific laws and customs so you can tailor your plans accordingly. In addition, you can download sample documents from which you can create your own. Inside, you'll learn all the basics and more: * Whether you need a living trust, a will, or both * Creating a valid last will and testament * Designating a successor trustee or executor to an estate * Deciding who gets what--and making sure they do * Setting up a living trust and funding it with assets * Understanding durable power of attorney documents and living wills * Tax-saving tips that help you leave more for your beneficiaries * Getting to know (in plain English) the legal language of your will or living trust * Where to download sample documents * Settling an estate with or without a valid will or living trust It's important to take care of the ones you love after you're gone. But if your estate planning isn't done clearly, precisely, and legally, you could end up creating more problems for your survivors than you solve. Do it right, do it inexpensively, and do it yourself--with We The People's Guide to Estate Planning.

How you can avoid probate, save taxes and enjoy peace of mind.

The purpose of creating a living trust usually cannot be accomplished unless property is transferred into the trust. This book explains the steps of transferring the ownership of a variety of assets into trust.

Updated for 2019! Hailed as America's best book on living trusts, it has been a favorite of consumers and professionals for more than 25 years. In clear, conversational English, the author explains problems with having a will, not having a will, joint ownership and beneficiary designations...and the many benefits of a living trust.