1. Overview of living trusts -- Living trust explained -- Probate and why you want to avoid it -- Avoiding probate -- Living trusts and estate taxes -- Other advantages of a living trust -- Possible drawbacks of a living trust -- 2. Human realities and living trusts -- Leaving unequal amounts of property to children -- Second or subsequent marriages -- Single people -- Disinheriting a child -- Unmarried couples -- Same-sex couples -- Communicating your decisions to family and friends -- 3. Common questions about living trusts -- Does everyone need a living trust? -- If i prepare a living trust, do I need a will? -- How can I leave trust property to children and young adults? -- Will my living trust reduce estate taxes? -- Will I have to pay gift taxes? -- Will a living trust shield my property from creditors? -- Do I need a "catastrophic illness clause" in my trust? -- How does where I live affect my living trust? -- Can I place real estate in a living trust? -- Can I sell or give away trust property while I'm alive? -- Is a bank account held in trust insured by the FDIC? -- Will property in my living trust get a "stepped-up" tax basis when I die? -- Who must know about my living trust? -- What about free living trust seminars? -- Could someone challenge my living trust? -- 4. What type of trust do you need? -- If you are single -- If you are part of a couple -- Individual trusts for members of a couple -- Basic shared living trusts -- AB disclaimer trusts -- 5. The tax-saving AB trust -- The purpose of an AB trust -- HOw an AB disclaimer trust works -- Is Nolo's AB disclaimer trust right for you? -- Creating a Nolo AB disclaimer trust -- 6. Choosing what property to put in your living trust -- Listing the property to be put in your trust -- Property you should not put in your living trust -- Property you can put in your living trust -- Marital property laws -- Completing the property worksheet -- 7. Trustees -- The initial trustee -- The trustee after one spouse's death or incapacity -- The successor trustee -- 8. Choosing your beneficiaries -- Kinds of trust beneficiaries -- Naming your primary beneficiaries -- Simultaneous death clauses -- Shared gifts -- some common concerns about beneficiaries -- Naming alternate beneficiaries -- Residuary beneficiaries -- Disinheritance -- Putting conditions on beneficiaries -- Property that is no longer in your trust at your death -- Beneficiary worksheets -- 9. Property left to minor children or young adults -- Property management options -- Which method is better for you : child's trust or custodianship? -- Tax-saving educational investment plans -- Child's trusts -- Custodianships --
10. Preparing your living trust document
Choosing the right trust form
Making changes to a trust form
Step-by-step instructions
Prepare your final trust document
Consider having your work checked by a lawyer
Sign your living trust in front of a notary
11. Transferring property to your trust
Bank accounts and safe deposit boxes
Vehicles, boats, and planes
12. Copying, storing, and registering your trust document
Storing the trust document
13. Living with your living trust
Adding property to your living trust
Selling or giving away trust property
When to amend your living trust document
Who can amend a living trust document
How to amend your trust document
Revoking your living trust
Who serves as trustee after the grantor's death
Transferring property to beneficiaries
Preparing and filing tax returns
Administering a child's trust
Administering a custodianship
15. A living trust as part of your estate plan
Other probate-avoidance methods
Federal gift and estate taxes
State inheritance and estate taxes
Long-term trusts to control property
Why prepare a backup will?
What you can do in a backup will
Avoiding conflicts between your will and your living trust
Signing and witnessing your will
17. If you need expert help
Hiring a lawyer to review your living trust
Doing your own legal research
Appendix A. Using the eforms
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