This straightforward book uses easy to understand language to educate the general public about estate planning. 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. Appendices provide an extensive checklist and inventory for estate planning and an explanation of the many acronyms used by professionals as credentials. Unique also are the backup authorities found in extensive footnotes using, wherever possible, websites freely available to the general public.