Wills, Trusts & Estates

Websites

Wills & estates

• My State Will — Offers several interactive programs: an estate tax calculator, intestacy calculators (one for each state) and state law summaries. Also includes charts and facts, sample intestacy problems and more.
• Legal Research for Estate Planners — A comprehensive directory of estate planning links divided into six categories: general estate planning research, national estate planning sites, state and local estate planning sites, specific estate planning topics, estate planning literature, and estate planning practice tools.
• Estate Planning Links — Another annotated directory. Topics include asset protection, elder law, valuation, charitable planning and business continuity.
• Trust & Estates Legal & Practice Materials — Links to specialized sites on trusts, estate planning, estate and trust administration, ethics and other topics. Also links to forms.
• Estates and Trusts — From Cornell’s Legal Information Institute. Links to probate, property and taxation statutes for each state.

Charitable planning

• America’s Charities — Links to charities nationwide. Search by charity type or name.
• National Committee on Planned Giving — Includes news, a resource center, ethics and standards, and educational information, all geared toward charitable contributions.
• Gift and Estate Resources for Professionals — Numerous links to case studies, articles and handouts (e.g., Planning Mistakes to Avoid, Donor Motives, Charitable Tools, Things Clients Should Know). Also links to many sources of U.S. tax information.

Trusts

• Living Trust FAQ — Why make a living trust? Is it expensive? A hassle? Can a living trust reduce estate taxes? This page answers these questions and links to related articles (e.g., Make a Living Trust in Your State).
• Heritage Living Trust — In-depth information about living trusts. Discusses probate, estate taxes, conservatorship, joint tenancy and other topics. Includes a blog, Q&A and additional resources.
• Wealth Management Resource Guide — Database of trust institutions, administration services, investment advisers and more.

Aging and end-of-life issues

• Elder Law Answers — Comprehensive site on elder law. Links to state-by-state information as well as checklists, a long-term care guide, a blog, a discussion board, news reports, Elder Law Radio and more.
• Elder Law Resources — From the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. Includes an elder law bibliography and a list of links to legal and government resources, associations, international information and more.
• Recognizing Elder Abuse — A guide by the National Council for Aging Care on how to recognize elder abuse and knowing your rights.
• Death and Dying Issues — From California Western School of Law. Lists and describes books, articles, videos and Internet resources.
• Organ Donation — In-depth information from the National Library of Medicine.

Blogs

• Wills, Trusts & Estates Prof Blog — Member of the Law Professors Blogs Network.
• Death and Taxes Blog — Commentary on estate planning, estate administration and real estate issues.
• You and Yours Blawg — Focuses on business planning, estate planning, trusts, elder law and taxation.
• Estate of Denial — Its mission: “shining light on the dark side of estate management.”
• State-specific blogs — Links to certain state-specific estate planning blogs.

Associations & agencies

• American College of Trust and Estate Counsel — Links to legal and factual research sites, blogs, journals and other resources. Also links to annotated list of books written by counsel fellows.
• American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys — Includes several online tools: a practice development index, audio sessions and estate planning alerts. Also links to online resources as well as information about marketing a law practice.
• National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys — Nonprofit organization assisting lawyers, bar organizations and others who work with older clients and their families.
• Estate and Gift Taxes — Information from the Internal Revenue Service.
• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services — Information from the Department of Health and Human Services.
• Social Security Administration
• OrganDonor.gov — Links to various organizations and agencies involved in organ donation.

Journals, news & articles

• TrustsAndEstates.net — Database of articles and guides written by Noel C. Ice, a Texas attorney. Also links to a free online form book.
• Chronicle of Philanthropy — Weekly newspaper of fundraising and nonprofit management. Some articles available free online.
• Guide to Tax Benefits for Charitable Gifts — Essential article from Trusts & Estates magazine.

Research guides

• Georgetown University
• Washburn University School of Law