Wear Clean Underwear!: A Fast, Fun, Friendly and Essential Guide to Legal Planning for Busy Parents

Now, I'm not a lawyer. Nor do I play one on TV. I am, however, a parent who has two daughters she loves more than life itself. You know what? Sometimes love is not enough. We can't just hug our kids and play with them and go to the beach and read books and do all that fun stuff we love to do. We have to work to provide. We have to house, clothe, feed, and protect our children. One sphere where we've got to do this -- and one, quite frankly, that I suck at -- is in the legal arena. That's why when the opportunity to read a review copy of Wear Clean Underwear: A Fast, Fun, Friendly and Essential Guide to Legal Planning For Busy Parents came up, I jumped at it. This is an area I don't know much about, and I wanted to fill the gaps in my knowledge. Author Alexis Martin Neely delivered -- and then some. She brought up questions I'd never even thought about: what happens if the people you appoint as your kids guardians die? what happens if the guardian you appoint really doesn't want to be the guardian after all? what happens if you have people fighting over your kids? what happens if your kids are left without much in the way of financial resources when you step off this mortal coil? Neely gets you thinking, first and foremost, and that's critical. Much of what you will read here is the same advice you'll find in estate planning guides -- but rendered comprehensible, in easy to read language. I understood this book -- I didn't feel stupid or poorly educated, trying to figure out what legal terms meant. Neely asks the questions we're all terrified to ask. There's a choose your own adventure feel to the book: If you decide to do X, go to page 55 and see what happens. I liked this. The choices presented were straightforward: you're going to do X or Y, here's the consequences of both. Are the choices exhaustive? No, but she hit the most common ones, and I'd bet they'd answer 95% of most readers questions. Neely also wins big bonus points for being cultural aware. Frankly, a lot of guides like this (and I've read a ton of the financial ones and I ghostwrite for Long Term Care insurance professionals) ignore the fact that we don't all live in heteronormative families. We're not all Mommy, Daddy, and 2.2 kids. Sometimes there's Mommy and Mommy. Sometimes there's just Dad. Sometimes there's Mom and Dad and Stepmom and Stepdad and the girlfriend no one talks about. Neely acknowledges this, respects this, and provides at least a starting point for those of us with non-traditional families -- and the assurance that the legal system can work for us too, if we're smart and proactive about it.

I was a little skeptical reading it at first, thinking that it might be too heavy of a topic and filled with too much legal jargon, but I should have known better from the fun title, WearCleanUnderwear! This is a MUST read - quick, intelligent and to-the-point. Alexis sheds graphic light about the necessity of family wealth planning - in a down-to-earth, understandable way. The three parables were enlightening, even for those of us who have worked with her tools and system. She writes her stories elegantly, making them interesting and with options to skip around. I like the way the book folds into itself making it an easy and straightforward read. It is certainly a call-to-action.

My "mom-to-be" gift has always been "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding" - until now. I will definitely be adding "Wear Clean Underwear" to my gift pack! Alexis Neeley uses real-life scenarios to help understand the importance of planning for our children's future without us. No one wants to think about it, but unfortunately there is a real possibility that our children could be left without parents - and at a young age. Even a child of 15 could be caught up in the throes of legal red tape in the event of a true family emergency. The book is thorough and heartfelt. It made me cry, but it also made me think - and PLAN. Estate planning is no longer for old men in dark law offices. Neeley has brought it into the 21st Century, arming everyone with knowledge and empowering them to make safe, intelligent choices for their children. This is a must-read for everyone, but especially women. We diaper them, feed them, and teach them to walk and talk. It is selfish for us not to provide for not only their safety, but especially their emotional health at a time when they may be so alone and so vulnerable. What a terrific Mother's day gift for all of the moms and soon-to-be moms in your life.

Wow! Wear Clean Underwear: A Fast, Fun Friendly--and Essential--Guide to Legal Planning for Busy Parents lives up to its name. It's fast, fun, friendly - and absolutely essential information every parent needs to know. Although my son is grown, there are still elements I can put into place, and as a parent of two precious young ones of his own, you better believe I'm getting a copy of this book for him - and for my nieces and nephews who all have young families. This is a must read for all parents!

Neely uses stories in a friendly non-confronting manner, to help parents face some of the difficult situations that could unroll in life. The scenarios demonstrate the level of detail that parents should and can plan for well in advance, so that their kids do not become victims of the accidents and chances of life. The book is fast reading and fun. Alexis also teaches you how to plan for family wealth for future generations. The book is a must read for parents with young children, and it also serves as a vital guide for parents with adult children, who wish to leave a meaningful and beneficial legacy for their families. The book assumes US laws and these may not be correct for other countries. Nevertheless it raises universal questions that many parents might not have considered and should follow up with respect to the laws in their own countries.