Executor's Guide: Settling a Loved One's Estate or Trust

Author - Mary Randolph ... [Goo?] [Posters]

This Paperback Book item from NOLO was reviewed on 3-Nov-2008.

Search ISBN:1413306551 offer from Abebooks or used books from Alibris. Executor's Guide: Settling a Loved One's Estate or Trust Reference Book. Classifications : Personal Taxes Taxes Accounting Industries & Professions Business & Investing Subjects Books Retirement Planning Personal Finance Business & Investing Subjects Books General Personal Finance Business . Click the following link to view the cover of Executor's Guide: Settling a Loved One's Estate or Trust.

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1) Paperback Book Executor's Guide: Settling a Loved One's Estate or Trust by NOLO. If you have just become the executor of your loved one´s estate, let me say that I am so sorry for your loss. This book helped me get from the funeral to final settlement for my father´s estate. Randolph filled this book with easy to understand descriptions, sample letters and checklists to keep you on target -- what to do first, second, third and so one.

Executor´ Guide is intended to be a general guide for all 50 states so it doesn´t address every state´s individual laws. You may still need a local attorney to advise you on specifics for your area. There is still a lot you can do on your own. This book guides you through it.¤

2) Paperback Book Executor's Guide: Settling a Loved One's Estate or Trust by NOLO. The good news is that contrary to the review about the "e-edition", the Kindle edition is NOT formatted in 2 columns. That review may have referred to the PDF file version one can buy from Nolo or Amazon, and the 2 column format of those is indeed extremely annoying.

The bad news is that the Kindle edition is possibly a faulty conversion from PDF, which Kindle conversion does not do at all well. The result is a table of contents that doesn´t go where one expects, and generally problematic formatting and hyperlinks. It also doesn´t always change type size correctly.

The other bad news is that this is the 2006 2nd edition: the 3rd is the current paper edition. This is another case of a high priced Kindle edition that has problems and is out of date to boot.

That said, if you are working on estate plans or a new will or anticipating serving as executor in future, this book will give you an excellent idea of what you´ll be faced with and have to do. But when the time comes, get the current edition in paper.¤

3) Paperback Book Executor's Guide: Settling a Loved One's Estate or Trust by NOLO. PA state inhertince tax book tells you everything in this book for free and it is available for download from the state. I wish I had not bought the book.¤

4) Paperback Book Executor's Guide: Settling a Loved One's Estate or Trust by NOLO. This book was informative and served as a good guide for getting started on settling an estate. It also was easy to understand.¤

5) Paperback Book Executor's Guide: Settling a Loved One's Estate or Trust by NOLO.
I think this book is wonderful. It is packed with content. And it´s very informative. However, I wasn´t particularly impressed with its organization. There are many books that could be written to help an executor do his or her job in adminstering and settling a decedent´s estate, among them would be the following titles:

EXECUTOR DUTIES
1. An executor´s guide about an executor´s role, responsibilities, and fiduciary duty
2. An executor´s guide on what to do when the decedent dies
3. An executor´s guide to what constitutes the unauthorized practice of law
4. An executor´s guide to estate property
5. An executor´s guide to estate liabilities
6. An executor´s guide to professionals who help in the administration of an estate
7. An executor´s guide to services offered and performed by estate attorneys
8. An executor´s guide to settling a trust (if the executor is a trustee)

THE LAW
9. An executor´s guide on how to read a will
10. An executor´s guide to the laws of intestacy
11. An executor´s guide to probate procedure
12. An executor´s guide to guardianship law
13. An executor´s guide to disclaimers for post-death estate planning
14. An executor´s guide to Louisiana custom, law, and procedure regarding an executor´s duties

TAXES
15. An executor´s guide to federal estate taxes
16. Case studies: Completed Federal Estate Tax Forms
17. An executor´s guide to state inheritance taxes
18. Case Studies: Completed State Inheritance Tax Forms
19. An executor´s guide to generation skipping taxes
20. Case studies: Completed Generation Skipping Tax Forms
21. An executor´s guide to income taxes
22. Case studies: Completed Income Tax Forms

The instant book being reviewed was close to 500 pages long. Each one of the suggested books above could easily be 500+ pages long if written well and completely. In fact, #s 10 and 11 could be done for each state and probably be 500+ pages each. The point is, that for the instant book being reviewed to get a 5-star rating it has to be well organized so it can act as a springboard for the reader into other resources. In my humble opinion, this book does not force the reader to quickly and easily grasp the material presented. Accordingly, I have bumped down its star rating. But don´t take my word for it. Judge for yourself. Does the book cover the 22 topics listed herein above in a clear and organized manner?

This book totes itself as an "excutor´s" guide. But I think it is better defined as an adminstration and settlement guide for executors AND TRUSTEES. Thus, I would change the title a bit to make it more representative of what the book covers.

I think Part I (Getting Ready) along with chapters 3 (The First Week), 4 (The First Month), and 9 (Managing Money & Paying Bills) should be moved to the end of the book and renamed Appendix A. And I think the title of the new Appendix A should be "Roles, Responsibilities, & Fiduciary Duty." I would move chapters 6 and 7 to the end of the book and call them Appendix B. Reading a Will is something an executor must do, but it is ancillary to his or her roles, responsibilities, and fiduciary duty. And I think Part IV (Getting More Help) should be made Appendix C. The current Appendix A should be renamed Appendix D.

I think the middle of the book should be reordered as follows:

8. Taking inventory
>>5. Life Ins, SS, & other benefits
>>15. Retirement plans
>>16. POD assets
>>13. Survivorship property
>>14. Community property
12. Property that doesn´t go through probate
18. The regular probate process
17. Special procedures for small estates
11. Taxes

I´m not sure where Chapter 10 belongs? It seems to be just thrown into the middle of the book. I think it should at least have been positioned somewhere close to Chapter 20 (Managing a Child´s Trust). 4 stars!¤

6) Paperback Book Executor's Guide: Settling a Loved One's Estate or Trust by NOLO. Settling an estate can be like moving through a maze -- let The Executor´s Guide lead the way.

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 show you how to get organized, get the help you need and make progress one step at a time. Let it help you navigate an unfamiliar land of legal procedures and terminology. It explains: