Table of Contents
Introduction 1
Part I: Estate Planning Basics 5
Chapter 1: What Is Estate Planning, Anyway? 7
Chapter 2: What Are You Worth? Preparing an Inventory of Your Estate 17
Chapter 3: The Taxman Cometh: Taxes and Your Estate 23
Part II: Estate Planning Tools 53
Chapter 4: Money to Die For: The Mysteries of Life Insurance Revealed 55
Chapter 5: Free to a Good Home: Giving Away Your Things Before You Die 81
Chapter 6: Pass the Buck: Using Trusts in Estate Planning 93
Part III: Creating an Estate Plan 113
Chapter 7: A Crew for Your Ship of Estate: Beneficiaries and Executor 115
Chapter 8: Who’s Minding the Kids? Planning Your Children’s Future 129
Chapter 9: Giving Them the Business: What to Do with the Family Firm 143
Chapter 10: You Gave at the Office, But . . . : Charitable Donations 159
Chapter 11: Goodbye to All That: Plan Your Funeral and Organ Donation 177
Part IV: Putting Your Plan into Action 195
Chapter 12: If There’s No Will There’s No Way: Why You Need a Will 197
Chapter 13: Will Power 209
Chapter 14: Powers of Attorney: Who’ll Manage Your Money for You if You Can’t? 239
Chapter 15: Living Wills: Caring for You if You Can’t Care for Yourself 255
Chapter 16: Getting Professional Help 269
Part V: Readying Your Estate and Keeping It Up to Date 289
Chapter 17: Don’t Leave a Mess Behind: Putting Your Affairs in Order 291
Chapter 18: It’s Even Better the Second Time Around: Updating Your Estate Plan 303
Part VI: The Part of Tens 319
Chapter 19: Ten Questions to Ask Before You Hire a Lawyer 321
Chapter 20: Ten Tips for Using Your Computer for Estate Planning 325
Appendix A: Prepare to Meet Your Lawyer 329
Appendix B: Instructions for Your Executor 339
Appendix C: Inventory for Your Executor 345
Index 349