Guides: Wills, Trusts & 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.

Introductions to Estate Planning for Non-Lawyers

The Trustee's Legal Companion: A Step-by-Step Guide to Administering a Living Trust by Liza Hanks
Publication Date: 8th ed. forthcoming in 2026

New York Public Library has pre-ordered the 8th ed. (2026) of this guide.
Book's description: "This guide, authored by attorneys with experience in guiding trustees, includes information on how to administer a living trust step by step. It discusses how to: determine whether to accept the role of trustee; establish ongoing trusts for surviving spouses, children, or beneficiaries with special needs; manage and invest trust assets; seek assistance from lawyers, financial planners, and other professionals; address tax obligations and prepare necessary accountings; communicate effectively with beneficiaries; and distribute trust property appropriately. Includes summaries of state laws and a sample trust."
Make Your Living Trust by Editors of Nolo
Publication Date: 1st ed. 2025

Excerpt from book's description: "This book includes key information about how living trusts work, who needs a living trust, how living trusts are different from wills, types of trusts, making a living trust with or without a lawyer, types of property that can go into a living trust, naming trustees and beneficiaries, transferring property, finalizing a living trust, and other useful estate planning tools."
Available at Brooklyn Public Library with a library card. Also available at New York Public Library.
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: 12th ed. 2024

Clifford is an estate planning attorney.
12th ed. (2024) is available at Brooklyn Public Library with a library card. Note: Brooklyn Public Library has pre-ordered 13th ed. forthcoming in 2026. 12th ed. (2024) also is available through New York Public Library. BLS students, faculty and administrators could request this book through BLS Library's interlibrary loan service.

Introduction to Guardianship

The Fundamentals of Guardianship: What Every Guardian Should Know by Sally Balch Hurme
Call Number: KF553 .F87 2023 (Main)

Publication Date: 2nd ed. c2023

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."

Wills & Trusts Kit

Wills and Trusts Kit (in series: For Dummies) by Aaron Larson
Publication Date: 2nd ed. c2022

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.
Note: BLS Library will order forthcoming 3rd ed. when book becomes available in May 2026.

Special Needs Trusts

Special Needs Trusts: Protect Your Child's Financial Future by Kevin Urbatsch & Jessica Farinas Jones
Publication Date: 11th ed. c2025

Kevin Urbatsch is the owner of the special needs and settlement planning law firm, The Urbatsch Law Firm P.C. Jessica Farinas Jones is an attorney at this firm. Discusses setting up a special needs trust for a child with a disability. Amazon's description states: "The new edition is thoroughly updated and includes changes to the federal law that governs ABLE accounts." Available at Brooklyn Public Library with a library card. Also available through New York Public Library. BLS students, faculty and administrators could request this book through BLS Library's interlibrary loan service.