Synopses & Reviews
Living trusts simplified! Protect your family and avoid probate with this bestselling guide
Death may be inevitable, but probate doesn't have to be. By creating a living trust, your property will bypass lengthy and expensive probate proceedings and go directly to the people you've designated, quickly and easily.
Make Your Own Living Trust explains how to create a living trust, transfer property to the trust, and amend or revoke the trust at any time. You'll learn how to:
- create an individual or shared living trust
- transfer assets to your trust, including real estate, stocks and bonds, jewelry, art or a small business
- name beneficiaries for all trust property
- sign your document and make it legal
- appoint someone to manage property left to minors or young adults
- provide for trust property management if you become incapacitated
- retain absolute control over trust property while you live
- register, amend, or revoke a trust
- make a basic will
Make Your Own Living Trust includes all the forms you need to create your own trust, plus step-by-step instructions for filling them out. Completely updated and revised, this edition includes the latest tax and legal information, including updated information about the federal estate tax.
Good in all states except Louisiana. Forms are available to download at nolo.com
Review
"There are important differences between the trust-mill approach and that of such well-respected products as Nolo's Make Your Own Living Trust." The Wall Street Journal "A do-it-yourself manual with checklists, step-by-step procedures, worksheets and forms." The Los Angeles Times "If you think you can prepare your own living trust, Make Your Own Living Trust is an excellent reference." Chicago Tribune
Synopsis
This book explains why you want to use a living trust to avoid probate - and then it gives you everything you need to make that living trust yourself, without a lawyer.
About the Author
Denis Clifford, a graduate of Columbia Law School, where he was an editor of The Law Review, is a lawyer who specializes in estate planning. He is the author of many Nolo titles, including Quick and Legal Will Book, Make Your Own Living Trust and Plan Your Estate and coauthor of A Legal Guide for Lesbian and Gay Couples. He has been interviewed by such major media as The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and Money Magazine.
Table of Contents
Your Legal Companion for Making Your Own Living Trust
1 Overview of Living Trusts
2 Human Realities and Living Trusts
3 Common Questions About Living Trusts
4 What Type of Trust Do You Need?
5 Nolo's Tax-Saving AB Trust
6 Choosing What Property to Put in Your Living Trust
7 Trustees
8 Choosing Your Beneficiaries
9 Property Left to Minor Children or Young Adults
10 Preparing Your Living Trust Document
11 Transferring Property to Your Trust
12 Copying, Storing, and Registering Your Trust Document
13 Living With Your Living Trust
14 After a Grantor Dies
15 A Living Trust as Part of Your Estate Plan
16 Wills
17 If You Need Expert Help
G Glossary
Appendixes
A How to Use the Interactive Forms
B Forms
Index