Presents an introduction to estate planning, offering information on such topics as wills, legal aspects, probate, trusts, taxes, insurance, and retirement money for the state of Michigan.

This is the first comprehensive estate-planning guide for those living with a chronic disease or disability. This book is targeted at those planning for the disbursement of their estates, no matter their size. Estate-planning is crucial for those living with a chronic disease or disability: individuals must express their preferences whether to receive long-term care at home rather than in a nursing home in the event that they become more disabled, and it is more important for one who has a chronic illness to name a power of attorney. Estate Planning for People with a Chronic Condition or Disability covers all of those topics plus: How to write your will How to determine how much life insurance your family needs How to figure out whether you need a living trust Learn about powers of attorney When to work with a lawyer, if you need to The book also includes downloadable sample forms for: Power of Attorney Living Will Designation of Proxy for Financial and Health Decisions

Discover the ins and outs of planning your own or your loved one’s last wishes with this easy-to-understand guide to estate planning. No one likes to talk about death, but being prepared for any unexpected tragedy can help your loved ones navigate your loss more easily in the long run. From creating your advanced medical directives to designating your beneficiaries, estate planning can ensure that your wishes are carried out when you are no longer around. With Estate Planning 101, you can get your affairs in order before any unfortunate incident occurs. This easy-to-understand guide comes with detailed information on what needs to be done to protect your estate. With information on creating a living will, minimizing estate taxes, choosing an executor, and more, you will be prepared for the future, no matter what it brings. Estate Planning 101 offers you step-by-step instructions and checklists to keep you organized for whatever life throws your way.

In Administering the California Special Needs Trust, author Kevin Urbatsch presents a guide for anyone assigned the duty of managing a Special Needs Trust for a person with a disability. Though geared toward those who never have administered a trust, it also provides sophisticated answers for experienced trustees concerning some of the unique responsibilities a trustee of a special needs trust will encounter. Urbatsch, a California attorney who has years of experience in assisting trustees to manage special needs trusts, has written extensively for both attorneys and families on how best to establish a special needs trust. Administering the Special Needs Trust addresses specific California issues that a special needs trust trustee encounters daily. In a question-and-answer format, it addresses how to - avoid the most common mistakes made by SNT trustees; - understand the type of public benefits available for California persons with disabilities; - learn how SNT disbursements will affect these public benefits; - best pay for a person with a disability's housing, caregiver costs, transportation, and related expenses; - handle SNT investments, accountings, and taxes; - terminate the SNT. With checklists, form documents, and law summaries included, Administering the Special Needs Trust contains a wide range of information for those charged with the responsibility of managing a special needs trust for people with disabilities.

What is it that drives people to wage war against their own flesh and blood? Veteran estate planning and elder law attorney P. Mark Accettura sets out to answer this question as he provides a comprehensive list of steps will makers, lawyers, and advisors can take to preserve the most valuable legacy of all: the family itself. Accettura's conclusions are aided by five years of research in psychology, psychiatry, and gerontology. The author concludes that the fight for money and things is not about to object or the money itself, but about what they symbolize: importance, love, security, self-esteem, and immortality. Accettura contrasts famously toxic personages like Leona Helmsley and Sumner Redstone with conspicuously philanthropic testators such as Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, and Alfred Nobel. Using the case of philanthropist Brooke Astor as a guide, the author tracks the overlapping phenomena of dysfunctional families, progressive dementia, elder abuse, and probate litigation.