- comprehensive coverage — the text covers intestacy, wills, and trusts, including nonprobate assets, estate administration, wealth transfer taxation (gift tax, estate tax, generation-skipping transfer tax), disability and death planning, and malpractice/professional responsibility

- a conversational writing style that is clear, accessible, and holds students' interest

- uses the Examples and Explanations format to help students learn in a step-by-step manner and also includes comprehensive questions, with a variety of issues in one fact situation, that are similar to those on law school and bar examinations

- casebook correlation charts that make it easy to use the study guide with any of the seven most popular casebooks

- a learning by doing approach that provides students with the opportunity to evaluate how well they can apply what they have just learned

- practical suggestions throughout the text that enhance its pedagogical value and give students an appreciation of the how the concepts apply in the real world

- samples of will and trust provisions and an extensively annotated model will

- an overview of general nationwide rules

- a comprehensive, student-friendly index that allows students to easily find the information they seek

- tables for quick location of material relevant to the Uniform Probate Code, Uniform Trust Code, and Internal Revenue Code

- updates available on author's website: www.ProfessorBeyer.com

Fine-tuned and updated, the Fourth Edition offers:

- materials on recent developments, including: transfer of death deeds; self-settled spendthrift trusts; Rule Against Perpetuities reform; federal gift, estate, and generation-skipping transfer tax; Uniform Trust Code; rights of same-sex partners; Medicaid planning; physician-assisted suicide

- revised examples that reflect the updated content

- updated casebook correlation tables reflecting new editions of the major casebooks