ESTATE GUIDEBOOK INTRODUCTION
The Estate GuideBook is divided into six concise sections covering everything from what documents you need while you are living to estate planning and asset protection in both complicated and simple estates. As you can see from the table of contents most estate planning issues are covered in the Estate GuideBook. After reading the excerpts you can see the text is written in simple, easy to understand language without any legalese.

ESTATE GUIDEBOOK - TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. Protecting Yourself And Your Affairs While You Are Living
A. Living Will / Health Care Power Of Attorney
B. Power Of Attorney
C. Insurance
1. The Four Must Have Policies
2. Optional Policies That Provide Greater Protection

II. Estate Planning
A. Minimum Requirements For The Typical Estate
1. Documents Needed While You Are Living
2. Documents Needed To Settle Your Estate
B. Optional Estate Planning Methods For Estates Valued At Over One
Million Dollars
1. Trust Documents
C. Optional Estate Planning Methods For Estates Valued At Over One
And One Half Million Dollars
1. Family Limited Partnerships
2. Asset Protection Trusts
3. Creation Of An Independent Corporate Entity
D. Estate Planning For Parents Of Young Children
1. Children's Trust
2. Appointing Of A Guardian

III. Alternative Estate Planning Methods
A. Gift Transfers
B. Property Transfers
1. Life Estate Transfers
2. Transfers For Value

IV. Asset Protection Planning

V. Typical Hazards Of Estate Planning
A. Over Complication
B. Failure To Properly Plan Your Estate
1. Failure To Plan For The Future
2. Creating An Unenforceable Plan
3. Failure To Provide For Minor Children

VI. Conclusion

ESTATE GUIDEBOOK EXCERPTS

“The purpose of this document is to introduce you to some of the techniques available to you to smooth the path as you travel along your financial and personal future. It is designed to explain some of the methods of reducing your probate and estate tax burden, reducing the likelihood of long legal battles over your assets both before and after you pass on, providing for your minor children, and helping you keep firmer control of your finances, and your life while you are living.”

“There are three essential elements of a plan to protect yourself, your family and your assets while you are living. Those elements are a living will / health care power of attorney, a power of . . . . A living will / health care power of attorney is a document designed to give others the authority to make your health decisions when you are unable to do so yourself. A properly prepared document will not only allow someone you trust to tell your health care provider . . . . A simple will directs where your money should go after you pass on. Although it is called a simple will you can make it as complicated as you wish.”

“An estate with a value in excess of one million dollars should have all of the elements required of the typical estate and probably at least one . . . “

“An estate plan for parents of young children should have all of the elements required of the typical estate and a trust which becomes effective upon the death of both parents. Larger estates should also consider the trust and tax saving legal entities discussed earlier.”

In a children’s trust at some point after the “children reach the age of majority the principal of the trust is turned over to the children. A well written trust will allow the parent to decide when their children will receive the trust principal. For example a trust may give one quarter of the child's share of the principal . . .”

“Asset protection planning is arranging your affairs so you can protect your hard earned money and property, both before and after death from lawsuits, catastrophic medical expenses, nursing home charges, estate taxes and other financial pitfalls.”

“There are a number of alternative estate planning methods which are also available to protect estates and reduce or eliminate taxes. Two of the most common are gift transfers and . . .”

“The biggest hazard of estate planning is making a relatively simple process overly complicated through the use of unnecessary trusts, interlocking partnership agreements and . . .”