Deborah L. Jacobs (lawyer, award winning journalist, book author) knows how to convey complicated concepts in simple language, and she always gives practical and useful advice. Her book, Estate Planning Smarts: A Practical, User-Friendly, Action-Oriented Guide, has received acclaim from many, including the Wall Street Journal and Professor Gerry Beyer.
Wall Street Journal: "a terrific guide"
The Wall Street Journal called Estate Planning Smarts “a terrific guide." On February 20, 2010, the WSJ had a section, The Best In…, that highlighted "some of the most interesting and valuable resources . . . in four key areas: personal finance, health, travel and lifestyles.” This section featured Estate Planning Smarts:
Estate Planning: We regularly receive questions from readers about estate planning, a difficult topic at best. For good answers and advice, turn to a new book: "Estate Planning Smarts." Written by Deborah L. Jacobs, a lawyer and journalist, it's a terrific guide for people who are just beginning to grapple with estate planning, as well as those who have (or think they have) their affairs in order. Ms. Jacobs does a deft job of handling key topics—bequests, taxes, trusts, insurance, nest eggs, family businesses and real estate, among others—in 19 concise chapters. Her "to do" lists are especially valuable.
Prof. Gerry Beyer: "a great book"
Estate Planning Smarts was reviewed recently on Wills, Trusts & Estates Prof. Blog -- New Estate Planning Book Published (2/18/10). Prof. Gerry Beyer wrote that Estate Planning Smarts is “a great book”:
Deborah Jacobs uses her prior years experience of writing in this field to create a book that really is practical, user-friendly, and action-oriented. Because the book uses an easy-to-read format, explains complex topics simply, and prompts the reader to think about and organize for effective estate planning, Estate Planning Smarts is a great book for estate planners to make available to new clients in need of basic information.
Hani Sarji: "excellent book"
I reviewed Estate Planning Smarts in a post on December 24, 2009. I described it as an "excellent book." Estate Planning Smarts has been my companion because it is well written and helpful.
Keeping Current

To keep readers current between editions, Jacobs issues updates that can be downloaded from her book's website www.estateplanningsmarts.com and tweets at http://twitter.com/djworking.
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