-an estate planning self-help guide for artists & writers- Writer, painter, photographer, musician, designer, animator, graphic artist, programmer, screenwriter, textile artist, choreographer, composer, sculptor... A will or trust controls who inherits what. The Final Letter tells your heir(s) ways to maintain it, even make it thrive, once they’ve got it. The challenge with an estate that includes Intellectual Property (books, stories, plays, films, etc.), is it has a value that can last another 70 years after your death. This book is a practical guide for educating your heir on quite what they’ve just received and what their options are to manage it. Topics also include: basic vocabulary, income opportunities with Intellectual Property, the power of trusts in IP estate planning, and much more. Estate Planning for Authors will help authors create their Final Letter as well as help the heirs whose benefactor did not create one. It’s a guide on how to make sure your legacy remains profitable for decades after you’re gone!

Planning for your family's future made easy! If you’re like most people, you want to be sure that, once you’ve passed on, no more of your property and money will be lost to the government than is absolutely necessary. You want to know that you’ll be leaving your heirs your assets and not your debts. You want to be absolutely certain that your will is ship-shape, your insurance policies are structured properly, and that every conceivable hole in your estate plan has been filled. And most of all, you’d like to do all of this without driving yourself crazy trying to make sense of the complicated jargon, jumble of paperwork, and welter of state and federal laws involved in the estate planning process. Written by two estate planning pros, this simple, easy-to-use guide takes the pain out of planning for your ultimate financial future. In plain English, the authors walk you step-by-step through everything you need to know to: Put your estate into order Minimize estate taxes Write a proper will Deal with probate Set up trusts Make sure your insurance policies are structured properly Plan for special situations, like becoming incompetent and pet care Craft a solid estate plan and keep it up-to-date Don’t leave the final disposition of your estate up to chance and the whims of bureaucrats. Estate Planning For Dummies gives you the complete lowdown on: Figuring out what you're really worth Mastering the basics of wills and probate Using will substitutes and dodging probate taxes Setting up protective trusts, charitable trusts, living trusts and more Making sense of state and federal inheritance taxes Avoiding the generation skipping transfer tax Minimizing all your estate-related taxes Estate planning for family businesses Creating a comprehensive estate plan Straightforward, reader-friendly, easy-to-use, Estate Planning For Dummies is the ultimate guide to planning your family’s future.

Baby boomers heading into their retirement years must take the time to ensure that their estates are in order—and that means a lot more than just preparing a will and naming an executor. Insurance, taxes, and planning for Medicare and Medicaid are among the crucial considerations in planning for the future. Completely revised and updated, Estate Planning Made Easy, Third Edition shows individuals why they need more than just a will and an executor, options for conserving wealth, and advice on putting together a comprehensive estate plan. This third edition includes extensive revisions to tax legislation, which has changed significantly over the last few years, leaving most American’s clueless. Features: * Changes to Tax Legislation * How seniors can best plan for Medicare and Medicaid * How to obtain the best cash flow with an equity-rich home * Tax legislation regarding 401k’s IRA’s, and pensions * Strategies to help reduce estate size and give to children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, without jeopardizing annual gift allowances * Premium financing of life insurance * Information on social security, private annuities, and state inheritance tax

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.

"A thoughtful, comprehensive, and invaluable guide for writers."--Bernard Lefkowitz, Professor, Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism "Easy to read and understand . . . should be on every publisher's reference shelf."--Jan Nathan, Executive Director, Publishers Marketing Association For anyone who has ever faced the confusing web of copyright and libel laws, this practical, problem-solving guide is a godsend. In clear, jargon-free language, legal experts provide the information and techniques you need to prepare a manuscript or multimedia work for publication. You'll learn how to: * Clear rights for all types of copyrighted materials, including quotations, photographs, fine art, motion picture stills, song lyrics, and more * Protect yourself against libel suits * Determine if a work is in the public domain * Assess if quoting without permission qualifies as fair use * Locate rights holders * Negotiate clearances Includes library of sample forms: * permission letter * interview release * model release * work-made-for-hire agreement * copyright assignment * photograph license

What happens to your estate after you are gone is very much within your control. Estate planning is not only for the wealthy; it is for everyone. It is simply the process of deciding where your assets are to be distributed after you die.

Written specifically for those in the state of Maryland (or studying Maryland estate planning), The Fundamentals of Estate Planning provides a unique opportunity to bring the practical aspect of estate planning into the classroom. The casebook provides text, relevant Maryland and Federal Statutes, forms and checklists used to interview and draft estate planning documents. Major topics include drafting of wills, testamentary trusts, inter vivos trusts, powers of attorney and advance medical directives for tax sensitive and non-tax sensitive client scenarios. Additionally, the casebook provides an overview of the ancillary issues including elder law, Medicaid, guardianship, estate administration and will caveats. The book is accompanied by a CD which contains sample forms.

Designed to raise people?s awareness of the need to plan for themselves and those they love. Whether they are tackling the subject for the first time or revising an existing plan, this book is an essential guide. Includes tax law changes effective in 2010 and how they apply to readers.

Targeting parents in second marriages who want to provide for their current spouse and their children from both marriages, the author provides sample estate plans and covers such topics as estate and gift taxes in a second marriage, choosing executors and trustees, the latest federal and state laws, and much more. 15,000 first printing. Original.