Smart Women Protect Their Assets: Essential Information for Every Woman About Wills, Trusts, and More »

Wynne A. Whitman, J.D., M.B.A., LL.M., is a tax, trusts, and estates attorney in New Jersey. Every day she answers clients’ questions and assists them in putting their legal affairs in order, whether it’s a young couple worrying about providing for their kids or an older widow who wants to make sure her loved ones get every penny possible. Wynne also assists in administering the estates of loved ones and knows first hand that a well-planned estate is an invaluable gift to those left behind.

Wynne is the coauthor of Wants, Wishes, and Wills: A Medical and Legal Guide to Protecting Yourself and Your Family in Sickness and in Health (FT Press, May 2007), as well as Shacking Up: The Smart Girl’s Guide to Living in Sin Without Getting Burned (Broadway Books, March 2003), which discusses the social and legal implications of cohabitation. With her sister, Stacy Whitman, Wynne has also ghostwritten four health and fitness books for two nationally recognized celebrities.

“This little book contains a wealth of estate planning information that every successful woman needs to know. Wynne Whitman makes complicated subjects comprehensible and outlines a plan of action that any woman can follow.”

—Liz Pulliam Weston, “the most-read personal finance columnist on the Internet” (Nielsen/NetRatings); author of Easy Money, Your Credit Score, and Deal with Your Debt

“Thanks to Wynne Whitman’s great advice, I’ve learned everything I need to know to ensure my stellar Grey Goose collection goes to the right person. But more importantly, I now know what I need to do to protect my assets as well as Chuy’s.”

—Chelsea Handler, best-selling author of Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea and My Horizontal Life; host of Chelsea Lately on E! Entertainment Television

“I’ve worked hard all my life to support my family and was wondering what the future held for them when a friend sent me this book. WHAT SHOULD I DO? Here are the answers. Very clear with tons of information, especially about wills and how to help the family in the future.”

—Sally Jessy Raphael, Emmy Award-winning talk show host

“This book is a must read for smart women (and men). The author’s humorous writing style gets you up to speed painlessly on estate planning essentials—so your children have guardians, so you avoid taxes, and so your money and other assets go to the right people. Don’t have a will, trust, living will, or durable powers of attorney? Get them, immediately after reading this book.”

—Greg Karp, syndicated personal finance journalist and author of Living Rich by Spending Smart

Too many women still haven’t taken control of what will happen to their wealth and their assets. If you don’t plan, the government will decide who’ll act for you when you’re sick...who’ll manage your estate when you die...who’ll get everything you’ve worked for. Everyone needs to plan, but women face unique issues that are often ignored in “typical” discussions of estate planning. Smart Women Protect Their Assets offers the specific guidance women need to safeguard their futures and control where their assets will go. Leading estate planner Wynne A. Whitman offers smart, up-to-date, and easy-to-use advice for the scenarios millions of women will face. You’ll discover how to protect children of a previous marriage...give gifts the right way...do the easy planning that may save you nearly a million dollars...get the Living Will and Power of Attorney you simply must have...and a whole lot more. Written by a woman for women, this is a quick, focused, engaging, and practical book packed with simple checklists and “what-to-do-next” advice: information every woman can act on, right now.

• Are you risking everything?
  What you could lose if you don’t start planning now

• How to choose the right estate planning instruments for your situation
  Wills, trusts, and “fancier” options: Which are right for you and those you care about?

• What if you get sick and can’t act for yourself?
  Make sure the right person is there to make the right decisions

• How to provide peace of mind to your loved ones
  Get organized and tell your loved ones exactly what you want

• How to discuss life’s toughest topics
  Bringing it up with your husband, partner, or significant other

Introduction 1

Chapter 1 Why Should You Worry About Estate Planning? 7

Chapter 2 What Exactly Does Your Estate Include? 23

Chapter 3 Is It Really That Important to Think About Taxes? 39

Chapter 4 Who Makes Sure Everything You Want to Have Happen Happens When You’re Gone? 51

Chapter 5 What Will Happen to Your Loved Ones? 63

Chapter 6 What’s a Will? What’s a Trust? How Do You Use Them to Put Your Plan in Place? 77

Chapter 7 What If You Want to Get Fancy with Your Planning? 107

Chapter 8 What If You Get Sick and Can’t Make Decisions? 123

Chapter 9 Is There Anything Else You Should Do to Be Prepared? 141

Chapter 10 How Do You Talk to Your Loved Ones About Your Death? 151

Chapter 11 What Should You Do in Special Situations? 157

Chapter 12 What Happens If You Are Appointed as a Fiduciary? 165

Conclusion Estate Planning Checklist 173

Suggested Resources 185

Glossary 187

Index 197