The Executor's Guide

“Mary Randolph, an editor at Nolo, a publisher of do-it-yourself legal guides and author of The Executor’s Guide, says it is a good idea to get a lawyer to help unwind a trust, especially if it will hold a significant amount of money. Trust owners can take some steps on their own–for example, going to a bank to change ownership of a trust-owned bank account back into their names as individuals. But if the trust holds a business or another asset, that could be more complicated. “If you’ve got some money to spend on attorney fees–and most people who have created AB trusts do–it can save you a lot of trouble later, Ms. Randolph says.” Wall Street Journal

“Covers the gamut of estate chores and helps you get through them.” Kiplinger’s Retirement Report

“Explains how to find state-specific information, and an appendix sorts legalities by state.” Miami Herald

“Provides a guide for executors and trustees, describing legal procedures and terminology, what to expect, decisions that will need to be made, and questions to ask.” Reference & Research Book News

“The Executor’s Guide [is] a super-detailed, step-by-step book that’s a must-read.”Beth Fenner, CNN “More Money” blog

“The Executor’s Guide leads readers through the process of what they must do if they are named as executor. In a nutshell, they must gather the deceased person’s assets, pay debts and taxes, and distribute what’s left. This book helps them know what to expect, what decisions they will need to make, when to get help, and what questions to ask. One very important part of the job is dealing with family members. They’ll want to know what’s happening, which means they may have to field a lot of anxious questions. Why is it taking so long to distribute the assets? Shouldn’t you sell Dad’s stock (or car or house) before its value drops? Why can’t I take the rocking chair Mother always told me she wanted me to have? What are you going to do about Mom’s sister, who’s taking things from the house?Savannah Jones, SirReadaLot.org

Mary Randolph earned her law degree from The University of California, Berkeley, School of Law. She is the author of The Executor’s Guide: Settling Your Loved One’s Estate or Trust, and 8 Ways to Avoid Probate. Randolph is also a coauthor of the legal manual for Quicken WillMaker. She has been a guest on The Today Show and has been interviewed by many publications, including The Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, and more.

JennieLin is a graduate of Harvard Law School and a member of the New YorkState Bar. She is a Legal Editor at Nolo, where she has written and edited several estate planning books. She also works on Nolo’s bestselling estate planning tool, Quicken WillMaker& Trust.

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