Basic Wills, Trusts, and Estates for Paralegals

Book excerpt: Helewitz's Basic Wills, Trusts, and Estates for Paralegals is a concise and practical guide to the planning and administration of wills, trusts, and estates. This succinct, simple, and straightforward introduction to all the basics of wills, trusts, and estates law was specifically designed for paralegal students. Continuing examples describing four different families provide an accessible structure and helpful point of reference for students learning the intricacies of estate planning. Highlights include: A straightforward introduction that provides a student-friendly orientation to the subject Clear and concise coverage of key topics A review of the sources of property law, trusts, and taxes A helpful guide to drafting documents related to wills and trusts Step-by-step instruction for completing the entire federal estate tax return State-by-state analysis of trust and estate law Four families/clients threaded through the text exemplify the intricacies of estate planning Chapter overviews, key terms, review questions, sample clauses, edited cases, chapter summaries, and end-of-chapter exercises Sample forms in the appendix New to the Ninth Edition: General and state-specific sections concerning admissibility and restrictions for electronic wills Updated codes and case law for the comparison of estate law in the different jurisdictions Updated tax thresholds and rules Updated federal and state documents and forms New case studies in each chapter cover such issues as: QTIP trusts The impact of Covid on the execution of wills Claims against an escheated estate Wrongful prolongation of life Professors and students will benefit from: Comprehensive coverage of the key topics includes a review of the sources of property law, trusts, and taxes, topics not thoroughly covered in other texts. Clearly written text and lively examples help students understand the law. A straightforward introduction that provides a student-friendly orientation to the subject Clear and concise coverage of key topics A helpful guide to drafting documents related to wills and trusts Step-by-step instructions for completing the entire federal estate tax return State-by-state analysis and comparison of trust and estate law Four families/clients threaded through the text exemplify the intricacies of estate planning Chapter overviews, key terms, review questions, sample clauses, edited cases, chapter summaries, and end-of-chapter exercises Sample forms in the appendix Examples and explanations pedagogy engages students with the material. Practical approach appeals to programs with shorter, less theoretical courses.