How to Avoid Probate

The two major problems with probate are the lawyers fees which can be excessive and the delay which can be easily be over a year or more. The book can be read in less then an hour. Most of the book is instructions for every possible asset situation and forms. There are detailed instructions for each type of asset and how to fill out the trust forms. My wife and I put our house in trust, as well as all of my savings accounts and stocks. I preferred to put the forms on word processing. No problem filing the real estate trust with the registry of deeds and no problems with the banks with the savings accounts. No problems anywhere. Every detail is there in the book. I now feel comfortable that my children will receive their assets without any unnecessary cost and on a timely basis.

This landmark book from the 1960's is apparently no longer in print. This worries me just a bit since it seems it should be still useful and thus profitable to print. One answer might be that Mr. Dacey's book has caused some of the exorbitant charges and abuses of probate to disappear (out of embarrassment?).One probate issue which has not disappeared, is the lengthy time(months or years)during which probate proceedings control the assets covered by a will -- assets which the book says it clearly enables you yourself to place in a simple trust so your beneficiaries (or heirs) will have instant and clear title to them at your death.It describes large reductions in transaction costs including tax savings, but it does not, in my opinion, show how to pass assets to your heirs tax-free.

Norman Dacey was disbared when he discovered what a ... the whole probate system is. His revenge is the contents of this book. It is worth its wieght in gold! Over the past 30 years the Bar Associations have black-balled him and his books. He is an honest and genuine man and this book is his legacy. The bulk of its contents are pre-fabricated meticulously prepared forms that everyone should have BEFORE THEY DIE if they want to be absolutely certain their estates will go to their loved ones tax-free and without attorneys taking most of it.

Dacey's book is a classic and a must have for those who want to learn about estate planning. As a third year law student interested in estate planning and probate, I would recommend this book for those who want more knowledge about the area and who want to have meaningful questions to ask his or her lawyer.