Practical Guide to Estate Planning provides an overview of estate planning, offering the widest discussion on planning principles and tools from the simple to the sophisticated. This book is not lacking in detail, as witnessed by its well-annotated collection of forms that will appeal to many experienced estate planners. The layout of this book reflects its emphasis on simplicity and clarity. Its scope includes a general overview of the estate planning process. It then addresses the rules involved in estate planning and the various ways in which estates may be structured to achieve desired tax effects. It goes on to discuss gifts, and some of the more specialized areas of estate planning, including generation-skipping transfer tax rules and charitable planning, which encompass the use of private foundations and split-interest trusts. Finally, Practical Guide to Estate Planning contains a set of estate planning forms. Included are a living trust, an irrevocable life insurance trust, an annual exclusion trust, a pour-over will, a will with outright dispositions, a codicil, a living will, a charitable remainder unitrust, a durable power of attorney, a health care proxy, a qualified personal residence trust (QPRT) and a Grantor Retained Annuity Trust (GRAT). The authors provide alternative drafting options as well as comprehensive annotations that can be used as quick references that explain why and how these devices operate.
This reference, with its wealth of basic information as well as its impressive assortment of forms and supporting materials, offers something of interest for everyone. Its clarity and organization, augmented by well-constructed examples, practice tips, diagrams and charts, make it a work that will be useful to both the newcomer and the experienced practitioner in the field.
The 2020 Edition covers the legislative, regulatory and judicial developments that are of most importance to estate planners, bringing you up to date in this constantly changing area.
Contents:
1. The Estate Planning Process
2. Basic Rules of Property Transfers Upon Death
3. Basic Estate Planning Documents
4. Trust Basics
5. Estate and Gift Tax Basics: Tax Tools of the Estate Planner
6. Planning for A Spouse or Nonmarital Partner
7. Issues in Planning for Children
8. Using Gifts in Estate Planning
9. Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax Planning
10. Charitable Giving
11. Planning for a Closely Held Business Interest
12. Insurance
13. Estate Planning with Retirement Benefits
14. Post Mortem Estate Planning
Form 1 LivingTrust with Traditional Marital Trust and Credit Shelter Trust
Form 2 Living Trust with Multiple QTIP Marital Trust Options
Form 3 Living Trust Amendment
Form 4 Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust
Form 5 Annual Exclusion Trust
Form 6 Additional Annual Exclusion Trust
Form 7 Will with Pour-Over Provision
Form 8 Will with Outright Dispositions
Form 9 Codicil
Form 10 Durable Power of Attorney
Form 11 Health Care Proxy
Form 12 Living Will
Form 13 HIPAA Authorization Form
Form 14 Charitable Remainder Unitrust
Form 15 Qualified Personal Residence Trust (QPRT)
Form 16 Grantor Retained Annuity Trust (GRAT)
Index