Excellent hands on, easy to understand workbook; will choose to use the completed forms as a framework to discuss with a trust lawyer.

I found the information easy to understand, and useful. I have yet tried the CD, but if the program is a good as the book, preparing the trust document is likely to be a very simple process.

If you have and estate of more than $2 million or if you are in a second marriage and want to create a family trust as well as a marital trust, you are wasting your money on this book.

I learned more in a 2 hour meeting with a trust officer than I did in this whole book.

In order to help my parents with their trust, I had checked out about a dozen books on the subject from the library. I found Denis Clifford's to be the easiest to follow and easiest to read on a fairly complex subject. I found the book (and his "Plan Your Estate" book) so informative I bought a set for myself.

This book offers lots of "real life" examples of different types of financial scenarios and the best options for setting up a trust that will protect the assets from excessive legal fees and/or estate taxes. It covers almost everything you need to know to either write your own trust or carefully check the details of your trust if prepared by a lawyer.

The CD included provides you with the language you need to write your own by filling in the blanks, as well as the step-by-step procedure to cover all the bases to be certain the trust meets all the legal & tax requirements for trusts.

This book is also apparently updated each year, as the tax and estate laws are frequently being revised. I highly recommend this book, and also highly recommend as a companion book that covers other aspects of financial planning, wills, etc., Dennis Clifford's Plan Your Estate.

I was so impressed I also bought copies of both books for my parents and my sister so we could all get our finances in order.

Nolo Press continues the tradition of providing step by step guidance through complex legal processes. Step by step demystification of the process.


Even if you are going to use an attorney this is a good read and you will save many times the cost of the book in having answered your own questions and by receiving a good introduction to the subject.

Highly recommended

Step by step demystification of the process.

Even if you are going to use an attorney this is a good read.

I am an attorney (shyreslaw.com) and I highly recommend this book for those who could use a simple trust and want to avoid probate. Even if you decide to hire an attorney, this book is invaluable because it offers great insight into trusts and avoiding the probate system.

Attorney Denis Clifford wrote this great do-it-yourself book which provides everyone a way to create their own simple living trust. A CD-ROM is also provided so you can easily input your information and print it out.

For a more complete estate plan, the book introduces the importance of pourover wills in case the trust fails to encompass all the property. You may want to peruse Mr. Clifford's Simple Will Book as well (another recommended buy).

I am an attorney (shyreslaw.com) and I highly recommend this book for those who could use a simple trust and want to avoid probate. Even if you decide to hire an attorney, this book is invaluable because it offers great insight into trusts and avoiding the probate system.

Attorney Denis Clifford wrote this great do-it-yourself book which provides everyone a way to create their own simple living trust. A CD-ROM is also provided so you can easily input your information and print it out.

For a more complete estate plan, the book introduces the importance of pourover wills in case the trust fails to encompass all the property. You may want to peruse Mr. Clifford's Simple Will Book as well (another recommended buy).