Estate-planning

Of the slew of personal finance books for women the past few years, this is the only one that sounds like it was written by a woman who didn't already have a fat, profitable investment portfolio, her dream house, and Prince Charming as her mate. Nearly all of the other books were written by people promoting their financial consulting businesses (until they got too rich to bother with that, like Suze Orman, although she's good, too). Leonard is a lawyer, and the legal counsel for the Older Women's League (OWL), a terrific organization.

Leonard writes in a down-to-earth, no-nonsense, but friendly voice, and gives specific, useful guidance about things most of would never know even to investigate -- much of it about Social Security benefits for widows and divorced women. If you're either of those, worried about becoming one, or just want to be proactive about protecting your own future and security, this book mandatory reading.

It was reissued the year after it came out, but is apparently out of print now. It deserves to be updated and republished.

NO TRESPASSING is a humane and scholarly look at homelessness, its root causes and its grass-roots remedies. The author has written a non-fiction, philosophical page-turner which should be in every homeless shelter, on every urban planner's desk, and on every corporate boardroom table. The book brings to bear the historical, political, philosophical, and human forces that shape homelessness and offers descriptions of solutions that have worked in today's world. Its an important read and a good one! Read it as you curl up in your warm house in a comfortable armchair, with a good reading light, a cup of hot tea in hand, and the knowledge that your chair, your light, your hot tea will be there for you tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow.

Every family's planning should include completion of this book. It is an excellent source of information and very clearly written. I plan on making it available to all students attending my financial planning classes.

Mr. Weinberg and his team have created a masterpiece. It seems as though these days everyone is an expert in estate planning. This treatise sets the standard for what a true expert in estate planning needs to know in Pennsylvania. it is very well researched with ample footnotes. I can't imagine a professional advisor working with clients in the "advanced" markets without this volume on his or her desk.

As the owner of two privately held corporations, and with a strong interest in estate planning, I found this to be the best and most comprehensive guide that I have encountered. It's much more in-depth than the many over-simplified popular guides to financial planning, and yet it's still accessible to the layman. Few people will read it cover to cover, but selective browsing reveals some excellent strategies and untangles a number of complex ideas. The writing is clear and accessible. I'll take a copy to my next meeting with my attorney. One small critique: I could have benefitted from some more graphic presentations of the information.

Successful businessman Roy Williams and experienced family coach Vic Preisser successfully and expertly collaborate to present Preparing Heirs: Five Steps To A Successful Transition Of Family Wealth And Values, a straightforward guide to facilitating the smooth transfer of great wealth from one generation to the next. Focusing on five crucial steps, as well as pitfalls to beware and issues to keep firmly in mind when grooming one's heirs to become responsible future beneficiaries, Preparing Heirs is an astutely written collection of solid advice and is very highly recommended reading for anyone seeking to have their children (and their children's children) continue to promote, preserve, and extend their family's financial and ethical heritage.

A 'landmark' contribution to the conservation field, this book offers valuable information regarding land ownership and the relevant tax law. Thank you, Mr. Small, for this timely and accessible guide!

Good use of diagrams to illustrate how specific techniques would work out. A good conceptual overview of various techniques. Sufficient info on each technique to allow you to decide which ones are likely to work best for you. Prepares you for a more meaningful discussion of alternatives with your estate planner.

This book is divided into two parts. Part One (about 20% of the book) describes the history, law, and expeirence with publicly owned private spaces. Part Two describes and evaluates each of New York's 503 spaces.

You might think that a discussion of the law and history of publicly owned private spaces might appeal only to city planners, developers and lawyers. You would be wrong. It would be hard to find a more lucid and balanced discussion of what happens when politicians attempt to direct the course of urban development. Anyone interested in public policy will find this discussion illuminating.

The descriptions of the spaces in Part Two combine a critical examination of the architecture and design with a practical discussion of how well these spaces work or, in many cases, don't work. Anyone who lives in or visits New York City could spend a fascinating day visiting these spaces with this book in hand.

Susan Richards does a good job with the subject. She doesn't just tell you what to find out about your parent's finances but also discusses thoughtfully how to approach your parents on the topic. She addresses the psychological aspects of these issues.

One caveat: the book does not address how to handle your parents' finances if there are too few assets. For instance, it may not provide many answers for adult children of very poor parents. The book assumes your parents have at least some assets to protect/manage.

Much of the information applies to all, though. I'm sending copies of this book to my brothers and sisters even though it will be several years before we need it.