LibGuides: Wills, Trusts &amp; Estates: Introductory Sources on Wills, Trusts & Estate Planning for Non-Lawyers

Comment

Below are selected introductory sources written for non-lawyers and non-expert legal practitioners.

To find lawyers, see:

Brooklyn Bar Association, Do You Need a Wills, Trusts or Probate Lawyer in Brooklyn?
City Bar Justice Center (affiliated with the New York City Bar), Planning and Estates Law Project
- Provides "free legal assistance with end-of-life planning, probate, and estates matters to New York City residents with limited resources."
JUSTIA Lawyers, New York City Estate Planning Legal Aid & Pro Bono Services
Martindale
- Tip: Begin typing words in search box, such as: Wills, Trusts and Estates. Follow prompts.
New York City Bar, Legal Referral Service
Thomson Reuters Westlaw: Profiler: Profiles of Attorneys & Judges (subscription - enter your Westlaw username/password)
- Tip: Can tailor Profiler search by city, state & practice area: Estate Planning.
U.S. News & World Report, U.S. News Lawyer Directory
- Provides attorney recommendations by region.
- Tip: For example, in legal issue box, type: Special Needs Trusts and add a location to find lawyers who could draft a trust for a client's child (or other relative) who has special needs.

Wills and Trusts Kit (in series: For Dummies) by Aaron Larson
Publication Date: 2nd ed. [2022]
BLS Library provides access to multiple copies of this introductory ebook. BLS patrons: In SARA catalog record, click: ACCESS ONLINE VERSION - (EBC). First time users click: Create Account. Remote access requires implementation of the BLS proxy instructions.

Make Your Own Living Trust by Denis Clifford
Publication Date: 16th ed. [2023]
Clifford is an estate planning attorney. Excerpt from Amazon's book description: [D]escribes probate, estate taxes, and the advantages and drawbacks of a living trust."
16th ed. (2023) available at Brooklyn Public Library with a library card. Also available through New York Public Library.
BLS students, faculty and adiministrators could request this book through BLS Library's interlibrary loan service.
Estate Planning Basics by Denis Clifford
Publication Date: Author recently published 12th ed. (2024).
Clifford is an estate planning attorney.
11th ed. (2022) is available at Brooklyn Public Library with a library card. 11th ed. (2022) also is available through New York Public Library.
BLS students, faculty and administrators could request this book through BLS Library's interlibrary loan service.

The Fundamentals of Guardianship: What Every Guardian Should Know by Sally Balch Hurme
Call Number: KF553 .F87 2023 (Main)
Publication Date: 2023
National Guardianship Association, a national nonprofit organization, developed this book to offer "general information to family, professional, and public guardians and conservators, so they are equipped to provide exemplary services that follow the best practices of excellence in guardianship."