From the Book - Fourth edition.
First steps. Why you should plan your estate : how you can save money and be sure you've done it right ; Getting started : don't procrastinate
Transferring property without a will : you have many ways of getting money to people without fuss or delay. Lots of little "wills" : your guide to will substitutes ; Life insurance : an old standby has lots of uses ; Joint tenancy : it's easy and cheap
but watch out for pitfalls
Wills : what should be in yours? Wills 101 : the basics ; What goes in the will : what to put in and what to leave out ; After the will is written : follow these steps to be sure your will does the job
Trusts and living trusts : they can do a lot
but they're not for everyone. How trusts work : a quick look at a misunderstood tool ; Do you need a trust? : as usual in the law, it depends ; Living trusts 101 : the basics ; Setting up a living trust : your guide to doing it right
Putting the tools to work : some tips for people with particular needs. Providing for the kids : tips for every age of offspring ; Married, with or without children : most of us want to see that our spouse is taken care of, but how? ; Splitting up : divorce and remarriage ; Beyond convention ; no two families are the same ; Estate planning for business owners : the law gives you lots of options
but you have to use them well ; Providing income for your final years : estate planning and retirement ; Controlling costs in your final years : paying for long-term care
Death and taxes : strategies for holding on to as much as you can. Death and taxes : trying to make sense out of rules that keep changing ; Tax planning 101 : trusts ; Tax planning 102 : the benefits of living gifts and life insurance
When you can't make the decision : confronting your biggest fear now can make a big difference later. Delegating decisions : advance directives ; Planning for end-of-life decisions : living wills and organ donation
Putting the plan into action after your death : steps you can take now to help your survivors. Easing the burden on your family : there's a lot you can do to help
now ; Choosing the executor : some tips on getting the right person ; Trustees : you can choose a person or a company to get the job done ; Probate : a quick primer on how it's done
Where do you go from here?
Appendix A. Estate-planning checklist
Appendix B. Sample basic will (annotated)
Appendix C. Health-care advance directive.
