Learning More About Estate Planning

If you have questions that WillMaker does not address, you may want to consult some self-help books or websites before you consult a pricey expert. It's often worth the money to pay a good lawyer for advice about your specific situation; it's rarely worth it to pay by the hour for education. Reading some background information before hiring a lawyer is usually the best approach.

Here are some Nolo books that provide more in-depth information about estate planning:

  • Plan Your Estate, by Denis Clifford. This book explains how to draw up a complete estate plan, making use of a will, living trust, and other devices. It introduces more complex estate planning strategies, including various types of tax-saving trusts for the very wealthy.
  • 8 Ways to Avoid Probate, by Mary Randolph. If you're interested in learning more about some of the probate-avoidance techniques discussed in this manual, check out this book.
  • Make Your Own Living Trust, by Denis Clifford. This best-selling book with downloadable eForms shows you how to make the right living trust for your situation.
  • Prenuptial Agreements: How to Write a Fair & Lasting Contract, by Katherine E. Stoner and Shae Irving. Estate planning is often an important component of writing a prenuptial agreement. If you're planning to be married and considering a written agreement, this book will walk you through the process, including lots of guidance to help you communicate and negotiate a plan that will please both of you.
  • Special Needs Trusts: Protect Your Child's Financial Future, by Kevin Urbatsch. This book will help you understand and draft a trust for a loved one with a disability. Even if you decide to have a lawyer draw up or finalize the trust, you will be armed with the information you need to get the best possible help.
  • The Executor's Guide: Settling a Loved One's Estate or Trust, by Mary Randolph. This is an invaluable handbook for anyone asked to serve as an executor. It can also help you prepare your estate for your own executor to make the job as easy as possible.

You can find Nolo books at www.nolo.com or through your favorite bookseller.

Free Legal Information on Nolo.com

Go to Nolo.com for clear and dependable information about estate planning and almost every other legal topic. It's Nolo's mission to provide accurate legal information written by legal professionals and vetted by Nolo's expert editorial staff. Whether you have a specific question, or just want to browse by topic, you can count on Nolo to give you unbiased, straightforward, plain-English legal information.