Wills, Trusts, and Estates for Paralegals

New text for the paralegal course on Wills, Trusts, and Estates that provides a general overview of Wills and Trusts. Covers the use of wills and trusts in creating an estate plan, as well as an overview of estate litigation and estate administration. This text teaches paralegals the necessary skills to assist with the preparation of wills and trusts and with the administration of estates. Key Features Begins with an understanding of the history and development of estate planning laws, continues through the preparation of the documents needed to create an estate plan, and ends with how to administer an estate. Practical, step-by-step examples throughout the book apply the concepts to realistic situations. Examples break down each document into individual elements. At each step, alternatives are provided and options are discussed. Practice Tips help students understand real-life applications and situations. Drafting exercises in the text offer opportunities to apply what the students have learned. Ethical considerations that all attorneys and paralegals must follow are included throughout the text. More complex concepts are introduced for general understanding only, so that students have an understanding of the concepts and language used in practice. The text emphasizes the vocabulary of estate planning so that students know the meaning of different terms and to use the terms correctly. Key terms are defined in the margins.