There is a critical review of this book found in the Legal Information Alert, October 1999 issue. Legal Information Alert regularly reviews new legal information products such as this one. Contact the editors of LIA at 773 525 7594 for information on how to obtain this review.

Though this book is easy to read, I believe that it is TOO simple-minded to be of much use for estate planning, preparing a will, settling an estate or anything else concerning death. The author clearly presumes that the reader knows absolutely nothing. More than half the book's pages are tax forms and the IRS instructions for preparing those forms (for the year 1996). Since all current forms are easily available for download from the IRS Internet site or from a local IRS office, including such old forms in the book can only serve to pad the book or to give a very general overview of the potential tax issues an executor may face. Moreover, the death tax laws since 1997 are barely mentioned. The author takes a great deal of space explaining the definitions of terms which are commonly known and giving examples which are common sense. The best and most useful part of the book is Appendix B, which lists all of the states and shows the differences between them in matters concerning wills and taxes. Few other probate books give this information. Also, I should mention that the author avoids those repeated admonitions found in every other book supposedly written for new executors: "You are too stupid to figure out how to do this job. Hire a lawyer and an accountant!" If you are only interested in a very simple overview of probate, wills, estate planning, trusts, and death taxes, then this is the book for you. If however you need details and already understand many of the issues involved, go to your library or buy another book - preferably one written within the last couple of years.