Estate Planning Basics - 13th Edition by Editors Of Nolo (Paperback)

About the Book

This book explains the basics of estate planning concisely and clearly. It's the core of estate planning, made interesting! No fluff, just the key information about wills, trusts, planning for retirement, health care directives, estate taxes, and more.

Book Synopsis

Estate planning, in plain English

This book provides concise, straightforward, and easy to read information about the major components of estate planning--without going into endless detail about arcane options that apply only to the wealthy. Topics include:

• Wills. Why you need one, how to make one, and when having just a will is enough.


• Living Trusts. When they're useful, how they work, and whether you need a lawyer to make one.


• Young Beneficiaries. How to protect gifts you leave to young people, by naming a responsible adult to manage the property until they come of age.


• Avoiding Probate. What is probate, why you might want to avoid it, and how to do it.


• Planning for Incapacity. Why you should make powers of attorney and health care directives to plan for a time when you cannot make decisions about your finances or your medical care.

The book makes these estate planning issues easy to understand and lets you know which tasks you can handle yourself and when you'll need a lawyer's help.

Review Quotes

"One of the simplest and best overviews of the estate-planning process." The Wall Street Journal

" A search of more than a dozen books in my reference library uncovered a mention of the stepped-up basis in all, but only Estate Planning Basics...makes it clear that the basis of inherited property is adjusted up or down." Florida Sun-Sentinel