Wills Estate Planning For Canadians For Dummies

Practical advice as you prepare to leave your legacy You’ve worked your entire life to give your loved ones the best life they can have. Don’t let death be the end of your caring and thoughtfulness. You can make sure your family is taken care of after your death and your wealth and assets go where you intend with the help of Wills & Estate Planning For Canadians For Dummies. This down-to-earth guide takes some of the stress and uncertainty out of this unpleasant topic by offering straightforward advice about preparing end-of-life documents and planning your estate. Discover the best way to transfer your assets to your heirs and the charitable organizations of your choice. Find out how to prepare a living will, donate organs, and give instructions for your burial. You also get expanded information about family law in Canada, details on why you need a power of attorney, and guidance on will preparation, funeral planning, green burials, tax implications, and more. Understand the laws surrounding estates, wills, trusts, and taxes in Canada Get details on buying life insurance, naming your heirs and beneficiaries, and designating an executor Find advice for discussing inheritance matters with a legal professional when you have a tricky situation Put your mind at ease with a solid plan for your assets and your end-of-life care Thanks to practical advice from an expert author, you can ensure that your affairs are in order and your loved ones will honor your final wishes. Wills & Estate Planning For Canadians For Dummies will help you leave behind a meaningful legacy for all who know and love you.

Wills & Estate Planning For Canadians For Dummies walks you through the steps of planning your estate. This friendly guide will help you Reduce the tax you or your estate will pay Plan for your children's future Leave a charitable legacy Decipher the legal lingo in wills Prepare a living will to ensure you get the treatment you want Hire an estate planning team that will meet your needs Through practical advice from expert authors, this book helps you ensure that your affairs are in order, and your loved ones will be looked after.

If you’re like most people, you want to be sure that, once you’ve passed on, no more of your property and money will be lost to the government than is absolutely necessary. You want to know that you’ll be leaving your heirs your assets and not your debts. You want to be absolutely certain that your will is ship-shape, your insurance policies are structured properly, and that every conceivable hole in your estate plan has been filled. And most of all, you’d like to do all of this without driving yourself crazy trying to make sense of the complicated jargon, jumble of paperwork, and welter of state and federal laws involved in the estate planning process. Written by two estate planning pros, this simple, easy-to-use guide takes the pain out of planning for your ultimate financial future. In plain English, the authors walk you step-by-step through everything you need to know to: Put your estate into order Minimize estate taxes Write a proper will Deal with probate Set up trusts Make sure your insurance policies are structured properly Plan for special situations, like becoming incompetent and pet care Craft a solid estate plan and keep it up-to-date Don’t leave the final disposition of your estate up to chance and the whims of bureaucrats. Estate Planning For Dummies gives you the complete lowdown on: Figuring out what you're really worth Mastering the basics of wills and probate Using will substitutes and dodging probate taxes Setting up protective trusts, charitable trusts, living trusts and more Making sense of state and federal inheritance taxes Avoiding the generation skipping transfer tax Minimizing all your estate-related taxes Estate planning for family businesses Creating a comprehensive estate plan Straightforward, reader-friendly, easy-to-use, Estate Planning For Dummies is the ultimate guide to planning your family’s future.

Estate planning resources to help you put your affairs in order. Leave what matters to those who matter with this smart, sensible guide. This book is your one-stop reference for all aspects of estate planning. From determining how taxes affect your estate to choosing a lawyer to help you write your will, it's all explained in easy-to-understand terms. Tackle difficult topics with this savvy, helpful guide and enjoy the peace of mind that comes from knowing that those you care about are looked after for the long term. All this on the bonus CD-ROM AOL Canada 6.0 Interactive financial planning software from Scotiabank Estate planning checklists, worksheets, and more Discover how to: Craft your ideal will Create an estate plan Make the most of a lawyer's services Increase the value of your estate Minimize estate taxes

Navigate probate, tax issues, and state laws Create an estate plan and protect your family's interests Need a will, but have no idea where to start? This friendly guide shows youhow to prepare a legal will or trust — either on your own or with professional help — and ensure that your wishes are honored. You'll handle everything from planning your bequests and writing and signing a will to selecting a trust and drafting your durable power of attorney. Discover how to: Provide for your children Hire and work with professionals Minimize tax liabilities Amend or revoke a will or trust Avoid common estate planning mistakes Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.

An essential resource to help you plan your estate and protect your assets Praise for previous editions of The Canadian Guide to Will and Estate Planning: “The authors have done a masterful job....This is a shelf reference every Canadian taxpayer and every Canadian family should have.” –THE GLOBE AND MAIL “An informative, practical guide....The authors...cover all the bases.” –THE NATIONAL POST Established as the go-to source of expert guidance, The Canadian Guide to Will and Estate Planning will save you money, taxes, risk, stress, and maintain peace of mind and family harmony. Completely updated to reflect the latest tax changes and with new information on charitable giving, including the donation of certain kinds of life insurance policies, this new edition explains practical strategies to: • Avoid classic pitfalls, family feuds, and spousal disputes • Minimize or avoid income, probate, and capital gains taxes • Protect your digital assets • Astutely deal with vacation properties, U.S. assets, and privately-owned businesses

Leave what matters to those who matter Understand why you need a will and the essentials of estate planning Who has an estate? Who needs a will? You do! So dive into this friendly guide and discover just what estate planning is, and why everyone needs a will. Tackle difficult topics with this helpful book and enjoy the peace of mind that comes from knowing that those you care about are looked after for the long term. Discover how to: Recognize the benefits of having a will Ask your lawyer the right questions Assemble a reliable estate-planning team

Often members of the public think that their estate needs are met simply by creating a will and holding assets jointly. What they do not realize is the many other tools available to them in the financial and legal fields, and advice sought in one field does not guarantee information flowing on tools used in the other. Uniquely, this book arms the general public with the knowledge to make intelligent choices among the many tools in both fields.