Understanding Living Trusts: How You Can Avoid Probate, Keep Control, Save Taxes, and Enjoy Peace of Mind

Updated for 2019. Instead of paying hundreds of dollars an hour for an attorney to educate you, you can learn the basics of estate planning and living trusts in the comfort of your own home, on your own time, for just the cost of this book.

Hailed as America’s best book on living trusts, "Understanding Living Trusts®" has been a favorite of consumers and professionals for more than 25 years, with sales now approaching 400,000 copies! It is a must-read for individuals and families with all size estates, and makes an ideal gift for friends and grown children.

In these 304 easy-to-read pages, award-winning writer Vickie Schumacher explains in clear, conversational English how you can lose control when you have a will; when you have no plan; when you use joint ownership; when you give away assets; and when you rely on beneficiary designations. She then explains how a living trust can give you maximum control, both at incapacity and after you die; the many benefits beyond avoiding probate; and why a living trust meets the needs of today’s families far better than any other estate plan.

This book is also your personal action plan for having a living trust. You will learn what a living trust is, how it works, and the steps you’ll need to take to set up one; what to consider when deciding how you want your loved ones to inherit from you; how to find the right attorney to prepare your living trust; how to organize information your family will need; and step-by-step instructions for your family if you become incapacitated and after you die.

"Understanding Living Trusts®" is filled with charts, examples, and checklists, including a Personal and Financial Organizer that will help you prepare to meet with your attorney. All of this education and preparation will save you considerable time and money.

Visit www.SchumacherPublishing.com/Consumers for a free special report!

Vickie Schumacher is nationally known for her ability to explain the benefits of living trusts and estate planning in clear, conversational English. She has a unique perspective on what consumers want, what they understand, and what motivates them when it comes to estate planning—because she is a consumer, too. Vickie knows firsthand about being a business owner, being divorced and a single parent, caring for aging parents, and blended families—life experiences and concerns she shares with many of her readers.

“When I first heard about a living trust,” says Vickie, “I thought, like most people, that a trust was for the wealthy and estate planning was for seniors.” As she learned more, she became convinced that everyone needs this information. She began to ask questions and then to write about living trusts. A former regional head of communications for a major employee benefits consulting firm, Vickie was already an award-winning writer, nationally recognized for her abilities to communicate “legalese” in accurate, understandable English.

In 1988, she proudly finished the first edition of the book—and was promptly rejected by more than 20 publishers, all of whom did not think there was an audience for this information. But Vickie believed in it enough to self-publish, an unusual move at the time. The rest has been nothing short of remarkable. The first edition sold more than 50,000 copies. "Understanding Living Trusts®" has now sold almost 400,000 copies and has become a favorite of consumers and professionals.

The book’s success led to Vickie being a frequent guest on radio and TV talk shows, and keynote speaker at standing-room-only seminars. She has received praise in "Modern Maturity" and other publications. She is also the creator of a line of brochures, special reports, presentations, and website content used by thousands of attorneys, banks and financial professionals nationwide. In 2016, she launched all-new brochures and website content for estate planning professionals.

Vickie’s two sons are grown and out of college. James (JJ) is a Captain in the U.S. Army, a Black Hawk helicopter pilot and a Company Commander. He has served two tours in Afghanistan. Charlie is an Investor Relations Analyst in Newport Beach, CA. In 2008, Vickie married Tom, a contractor, and gained his two grown children: Olivia, a city planner, and Bruce, an architect. Olivia had the first granddaughter in 2014 and the second in 2016.