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