Nolo's guide to estate planning
Book - 2024
Saved in:
- Subjects
- Genres
- Law for laypersons
- Published
-
El Segundo, CA :
Nolo
2024-
- Language
- English
- Item Description
- Includes index.
"Nolo's Guide to Estate Planning replaces Nolo's long-standing bestseller Plan Your Estate and is completely updated and refreshed for today's reader"--Page 4 of cover, First edition (November 2024). - Physical Description
- volumes : illustrations ; 23 cm
- ISBN
- 9781413331660
- Introduction
- Why Write This Book, Anyway?
- What Will I Get out of This Book?
- 1. What's in an Estate Plan and Why Do You Need One?
- Getting Started
- Understanding Probate
- The Workhorses: Wills and Trusts
- 2. Taking Inventory: Understanding What You Own and How You Own It
- Why Make an Inventory?
- Your Inventory
- 3. Wills
- Making Your Will Legal and Enforceable
- A Will Is Just One Part of Your Estate Plan
- Right of Survivorship: Property You Own With Others
- Choosing an Executor
- Choosing Guardians and Managing Money for Children
- Planning for Pets
- Preparing a Will Worksheet
- Making a Will: A DIY Project or Not?
- Once You've Done Your Will
- What Happens If You Don't Make a Will?
- 4. Living Trusts
- What Is a Living Trust?
- Creating a Living Trust: The Settlor's job
- Casting the Play: Selecting Trustees and Beneficiaries
- Preparing a Trust Worksheet
- Creating a Living Trust: DIY Project or Not?
- Transferring Assets Into the Trust
- Pour-Over Wills
- 5. Avoid Probate by Designation, Deed, Joint Ownership, and Small Estates Procedures
- Payable-on-Death Designations
- How POD and TOD Accounts Work
- When POD and TOD Accounts Are Helpful
- When POD and TOD Accounts Are Not Sufficient
- Joint Bank Accounts
- Transfer-on-Death Deeds
- Small Estates Affidavits or Simplified Probate Procedures
- 6. Estate Planning and Your Minor Children: Choosing a Guardian
- Get It Done
- What Guardians Are (and Are Not) Responsible For
- Court Approval and Oversight of Guardians
- Picking the Right Guardian
- Common Problems and Some Solutions
- After You've Chosen a Guardian: Talking It Over
- Giving Guardians Some Written Guidance
- Congratulate Yourself on Choosing a Guardian!
- 7. Leaving Money to Children
- Money and Kids: The Basics
- Custodial Accounts
- Children's Trusts
- Your Backup Plan: Appoint a Property Guardian
- Pull Your Plan Together
- Life Insurance Primer
- 8. Yours, Mine, and Ours: Estate Planning for Blended Families
- Who Owns What?
- Planning Strategies for Blended Families
- Planning for Children of Different Ages
- Putting It All Together
- 9. Death and Taxes: Income, Gift, and Estate Taxes
- Some Background on Death and Taxes
- Income Taxes
- Gift Tax
- The Estate Tax
- Estate Tax Planning Strategy If You Are Single: Philanthropy
- 10. Naming the Right Beneficiaries: Retirement and Life Insurance
- Alphabet Soup: Retirement Plans Explained
- What Beneficiaries Have You Already Named?
- Retirement 101: The Basic Rules of Choosing Beneficiaries and Withdrawing Money
- Naming Beneficiaries for Retirement Plans
- A Little Housekeeping: Cleaning Up Your Retirement Plans
- Filling Out the Forms Naming Beneficiaries
- Naming Beneficiaries for Life Insurance
- 11. Estate Planning Across Borders
- Estate and Gift Taxation of Non-U.S. Citizens (Resident and Nonresident Aliens)
- Taxes on Assets in Other Countries Held by U.S. Taxpayers
- Naming International Trustees and Executors
- Naming Guardians for Minor Children Who Don't Live in the United States
- Estate Planning for a Noncitizen Spouse
- 12. Advance Health Care Directives and Powers of Attorney for Finances
- Health Care Directives
- Durable Power of Attorney for Finances
- 13. Managing Your Plan and Keeping It Current
- What's in Your Plan
- Storing Your Estate Plan
- Digital Estate Planning Issues
- Who Should Have Copies of Your Estate Planning Documents
- Keeping Your Plan Current
- How to Make Changes to Your Estate Plan
- 14. Settling an Estate
- The Big Picture
- Who's in Charge?
- Where Are the Papers?
- Avoid a Treasure Hunt
- Who Needs to Be Notified?
- Paying Debts and Taxes
- How Property Gets Distributed
- 15. Finding a Lawyer and Help Beyond This Book
- Start With Referrals
- Do Some Research
- Make Contact
- Ask Questions
- Trust Yourself
- Do Your Homework
- Appendix
- How to Use the Downloadable Forms on the Nolo Website
- Editing RTFs
- List of Forms Available on the Nolo Website
- Index