Estate & Trust Administration For Dummies

by Margaret A. Munro, Kathryn A. Murphy

Estate and Trust Administration For Dummies, 2 nd Edition (9781119543879) was previously published as Estate and Trust Administration For Dummies, 2 nd Edition (9781118412251). While this version features a new Dummies cover and design, the content is the same as the prior release and should not be considered a new or updated product.           Your plain-English guide to administering an estate and/or trust As more and more of the population reach senior ages―including baby boomers, many of whom do not have wills―an increasing number of people are being thrust into the role of executor, administrator, personal representative of an estate, or trustee of a trust after the death of a loved one. This updated edition of Estate & Trust Administration For Dummies guides you through the confusing process of administering an estate and/or trust.  Settling an estate and administering a trust can be complicated, messy, and time-consuming for individuals named as executor or trustee, most of whom have no previous experience with such matters. Estate & Trust Administration For Dummies shows you how to make sound decisions for your unique circumstances. Whether you're looking for guidance on how to navigate the probate process and estate taxes, settle debts and bequests, fund a trust, comply with tax regulations, or anything in between, this hands-on, friendly guide takes away the mystery and provides detailed answers to all of your estate and trust administration questions.  

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Business

432 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2008

Reviews

[Jeffrey Poston · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a excellent resource that prepared me for the task of addressing my parents' estate plan. But once I found out how powerful such planning is, I did my own estate/trust plan also. Of course, I went to an attorney, but this book introduced me to all the terms and definitions so that I could talk intelligently about the topic with the attorney.

[Matt Heavner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book in the Dummies series that I really found useful. This is a bit dated (I read the ~2008 edition) but still a great starting place for estate & trust management. I did find a few fairly minor errors - wrong form numbers, etc.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Tax Advisor Margaret Atkins and the lawyer Kathryn A. Murphy published Estate Planning and Administration for Dummies in the United States and Canada in 2019. The first section introduces the reader to estate planning and administration of will or trust. The second section is entitled “Administering an Estate” (Atkins & Murphy 73-158). The third section is entitled “Operating a revocable or irrevocable trust” (Atkins & Murphy 159-244). The book has a glossary. The glossary defines revocable trust as “a trust that can be amended, revoked, or terminated at any time before the grantor’s death by the grantor” (Atkins & Murphy 365). The “irrevocable trust” is “a trust where the governing instrument may not be revoked or changed, even by the grantor” (Atkins & Murphy 363). I read the book on my Kindle. The fourth section is entitled “Paying the Taxes” (Atkins & Murphy 245-341). The fifth section is on ten different taxes and concepts to be aware of in estate planning. The book has an appendix that tells all of the laws in the intestacy. This section also includes laws about estate tax or inheritance tax in the fifty states of the United States. Atkins’ and Murphy’s book is a solid introduction to estate planning, including the administration of a trust or a will in a format more approachable than some other introduction.

[Kathy KS · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although this edition may be somewhat outdated, I found the presentation helpful and written in a very accessible style. In conjunction with other similar works, it provided some helpful explanations about the nuts and bolts of serving as an administrator/executor of an estate.

[DeEtte · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you've been named as an executor and have no idea where to begin, this is a perfect book for you. It helped me get through the process relatively unscathed.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good overview of the subject. Wish the book contained more variety of examples, and some examples of forms that could be used for the various recordkeeping would be helpful. All in all, I do feel that I have a better idea of the basics.