Any recommendations on a book about Trusts?

Bravo.... I found a really good book "Guide to Wills and Estate" put out by The American Bar Association, fourth edition. Paperback.

I glanced through it, an easy read. My sig/other is reading it cover to cover, and he's trying to learn everything about Trusts, etc.

And I think [fingers crossed] that I have convinced my Dad it is time to either update his Will or put everything into a family Trust.

Legal or law libraries: Nolo Press: Paralegal: Legal assist: local courtrooms may have assitance, try calling or going down there and ask a clerk.

vegaslady, I tackled my old tax returns last year going back 45+ years, like you did.... except I shredded all but the first two pages, for some strange reason I felt like I needed to keep those pages, maybe someday I thought I would frame my first tax return :0

My Dad likes to cut out newspaper articles and save them in notebooks... Mom's been after him to weed through those notebooks, dozens upon dozens, but it is slow going as he will re-read that article then talk about it for an hour, then realize he wants to keep the article.

Freqflyer, I got into the storage area over the garage to empty it out. This was previously my parents home. I found a box of canceled checks, medical bills from as early as 1975 that my dad have overlooked when he moved in with my sister. But that was about 2005...they kept that for 30 years. I shouldn't criticize though....in the last year I finally shredded my tax returns from the 1960s to the beginning of this century. To everyone who plans to clean out their stuff someday....start sooner rather than later....it takes a long time to shred that stuff.

GardenArtist, I will trade you gardening if you do my asset list :)

I like having a book with everything in it vs Googling and printing articles, I am old school.... I went into Barnes & Noble's website but there were too many books to choose from.... good heavens, B&N now rents books, that's something new. How I wish the B&N, Borders, and Books a Million stores here didn't close. Most of the really good book stores have closed many of their retail outlets.

Last night I did some very very minor streamlining of "stuff", gosh that is a good feeling of lifting a heavy trash bag. I still have my basement to tackle, way too much "stuff" down there. Why is it so hard to throw away some things? Why do I need my pay stubs from 1970? I know it's fun to look back to see how much I was paid, but how often do I do that. I need to put it into memory and be like my Dad who can tell me how much money he made in 1942 and what was the cost of gasoline, bread and milk :P

Maybe I should get YOUR checklist! Mine is only about half that long.

I too have thought about my "stuff". One reason why my next big project after gardening season is over is to start streamlining.

Boy, everyone here is way ahead of me! Pam recommended the American Bar - I hadn't even thought of that. VegasLady recommended Nolo; I've used their site before and got good advice. And Flyer's already working on her asset checklist.

I think I better stick to just gardening for awhile and let you ladies take over the legal advice!

Vegaslady, the book "Because You Can't Take it With You" is really good... I have a copy and it is such an easy read. I gave my Dad his own copy of the book.... darn, wish my Mom could still read as she's is more apt to read something like that. Her eyesight is really bad now.

GardenArtist, regarding the asset checklist, my attorney gave me over 20 pages to fill out. It's strange I was sitting here in my home office and all of the sudden I was wondering who will get all my personal "stuff" later down the road. I have no children, no nieces or nephews. Something to think about.

Legal books by NOLO Press out of Berkeley are good and easy to read. I also recommend the book, Because You Can't Take It With You" by Marguerite Smolen. It is very complete.

I don't have any books but I do have articles distributed by various elder attorneys who have booths at the AAA expos. But I think my own attorney has articles published on various aspects of trusts. Give me a day or so to check out their website.

I assume you're interested in a Living Trust, not an Irrevocable Trust?

I also have an asset checklist used by my attorney. It will help get all the data in order and save time for your attorney to review when you meet.

Americanbar.org has useful guidelines for guardianship and trusts for each state. Check their website.