The Executor's Guide: Settling a Loved One's Estate or Trust (Executor's Guide: Settling a Loved Ones Estate or Trust)

Executor? Settle a trust or estate with this all-in-one guide

If you're faced with wrapping up the affairs of a loved one who has died, you may feel overwhelmed by all the work ahead — especially when you're grieving. But with the right legal and practical information, you can do it.

The Executor's Guide will help you make progress one step at a time by assisting you in navigating an unfamiliar land of legal procedures and terminology — all while saving you time and money. It explains how to:

• prepare for the job of executor or trustee
• take your first steps
• claim life insurance, Social Security and other benefits
• make sense of a will
• what to do if there is no will
• determine whether probate is necessary
• care for children and their property
• file taxes
• deal with family members
• handle trusts
• look up your state's laws
• work with lawyers, appraisers, accountants and other experts

This edition has been updated to include expanded information on dealing with online accounts, as well as tables outlining key points of each state's laws, the latest information on estate taxes, and worksheets that help you stay organized and on track.

Mary Randolph earned her law degree from the Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California, Berkeley. She is the author of The Executor's Guide: Settling Your Loved One's Estate or Trust, 8 Ways to Avoid Probate, Every Dog's Legal Guide: A Must-Have Book for Your Owner, and Deeds for California Real Estate. She is also a coauthor of the legal manual for Quicken WillMaker Plus. She has been a guest on The Today Show and has been interviewed by many publications, including the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, and more. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her family.