Estate Planning Strategies: Collective Wisdom, Proven Techniques

According to a 2007 survey, nearly 60 percent of adults have not implemented a plan to provide for their loved ones and settle their final affairs. WealthCounsel Estate Planning Strategies: Collective Wisdom, Proven Techniques hopes to reverse this trend and get everyone, no matter the size of his or her estate, to make estate planning a priority. With contributions from nearly 100 WealthCounsel estate planning attorneys, the book is chock full of useful information.

This book is designed to educate you about the importance of estate planning. More specifically, the purpose of this book is to help you avoid the common pitfalls that often occur without adequate planning so that you may fulfill your vision and family legacy in the disposition of your assets. In short, the proven strategies in this book will empower readers with knowledge about estate planning techniques that enable clients to leave what they want, to whom they want, and in the manner they want.

The ideas in this first-of-its-kind-book were drawn from the mind meld and collective wisdom of estate planning attorneys throughout the country who saw the need to compile a summary of the most effective estate planning strategies being used today. In addition to their commitment to sharing individual expertise for the benefit of many, these attorneys share another common genetic factor they are all members of WealthCounsel.

For more than ten years, WealthCounsel attorneys located in all 50 states have been helping clients of all ages and at all stages of life fulfill their estate planning objectives. As a membership-based organization of nearly 1,800 practitioners and users of the WealthDocsTM drafting platform, WealthCounsel and its member attorneys promote a client-centered approach to estate planning founded on the principles of legal competence, professional collaboration, and a commitment to excellence.

You, the reader, will discover that the 100 or so ideas and strategies showcased in this book derive not from simplistic legal theory, but from practical application in complex situations. The attorney-authors have carefully illustrated compelling scenarios drawn from estate planning solutions developed for hundreds of clients throughout the country. The techniques discussed span the full continuum of the estate planning process, from the goals of estate planning and the documents generated in the process to planning for incapacity, tax avoidance, charitable giving, retirement, and business succession.

Nearly 100 estate planning attorneys from across the nation contributed to this publication. This book is the product of many peoples efforts. We would especially like to thank the authors who contributed to the book.