Wills and Trusts Kit For DummiesNavigate 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:
Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
Appendixes About the CD Icons Used In This Book Where to Go from Here | 9 |
Making Crucial Decisions | 25 |
Gathering Pertinent Information 39 Chapter 4 Planning Your Bequests | 49 |
Providing for Your Children and Dependents | 67 |
Dipping into Your Pocket The Tax Man and Others | 75 |
Everything You Need to Know about Wills 93 Chapter 7 Writing and Signing a Will | 95 |
Executing a Valid Will | 109 |
Those Cushy Retirement Funds | 217 |
Your Castle How Its Owned Makes a Huge Difference | 241 |
The Part of Tens Chapter 18 Ten Common Will Mistakes 259 | 259 |
Ten Tax Traps to Avoid When Planning Your Estate | 273 |
Appendixes Appendix A State Signing Requirements | 283 |
Providing for Your Children and Dependents | 307 |
State Inheritance Taxes Appendix C Estate Planning Questionnaire 311 | 311 |
About the CD | 333 |
Navigating the Land Mines Chapter 9 When You Already Have a Will 111 127 | 111 |
When You Already Have a Will | 127 |
Estate Administration What Happens in Probate Court | 137 |
Trust Me How Trusts Work Chapter 11 The Anatomy of a Trust Chapter 12 Dead or Alive Picking Your Trust Chapter 13 When You Already Have ... | 183 |
When You Already Have a Trust | 186 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
able acknowledgment agent amount assets attesting avoid balance become beneficiary benefit bequest bills Chapter charity child choice choose claim common competent complicated consider continue contributions costs create creditors death describe designate direction discuss disinherit distributed document don’t effect estate plan estate tax example execute execute a valid exemption expect expenses fees funds gift gift tax give healthcare heirs income inheritance intended interest invalid investment joint keep laws lawyer leave lifetime limited manage marriage million owner ownership payment period personal representative power of attorney presence probably probate court proceeds professional protect proxy real estate reasonable receive recognizes self-proving affidavits remain require retirement revoke savings share signature specific spouse sure tion transfer wishes withdraw witness you’re