Estate Law Books: Help In Understanding Your Options
The rising interest in estate planning among members of the Baby Boom generation as created a demand for estate law books written to guide them through the sometimes complex options available. While they are not substitutes for professional estate planners, many of these books do aid their readers in narrowing their focus to which methods will be most useful in preserving the maximum amount of their assets. Some of these estate law books also explain, in layman's terms, things like wills, probate, trusts, and living trusts, and ways to distribute assets during one's life without having one's estate penalized with a Gift or Estate Tax.
One estate law book compiled by attorneys is "The American Bar Association Guide to Wills and Estates." The ABA Guide is full of information on drafting a will and selecting your executor; establishing a trust to protect your estate; and less comfortable issues like how to be prepared in case you become incapacitated. The ABA Guide also has a very useful checklist so that, no matter his or her situation, the individual reader can determine the best estate planning strategy, and up date it as the financial situation changes. The book also has a section on finding resources if you require more information. But the authors, possibly because this book is the work of the ABA, make the repeated point that you should really let an attorney handle your estate planning instead of trying to do it yourself. If, however, you're someone who does not see the need of consulting with a lawyer concerning your estate, you may find what you need in "How to Plan Your "Total" Estate With a Will & Living Will, Without the Lawyer's Fees: The American Will Kit." This estate law book, written by Benji O. Anosike, is actually a workbook containing worksheets with which you can create an outline of the basic points to consider in your own estate planning. This estate law book also has the forms used in each of the fifty US states for creating a living will, and lists of what is required to draft a legal will in your state, along with a model letter containing instructions to your will's executor. If you want an estate law book written from the point of view of an estate planning attorney who has seen almost every conceivable situation in his practice, take a look at Alexander Bove's "The Complete Book of Wills, Estates & Trusts." This book explains the intricacies of probate and estate tax laws in easy to understand terms and illustrates its points with actual case studies. The author actually brings humor to what is at best a dry, and at worst depressing, subject. The Third Edition of Bove's book has been updated to reflect the most recent changes in Estate Tax laws and clearly explains the necessity for having a will if you wish to spare your survivors any difficulties during the probate process. It also includes sample forms. This estate law book is ideal if you want to get an enjoyable and educational look at the overall estate planning process before consulting your own attorney to start your own. |
