J.K. Lasser's New Rules for Estate, Retirement, and Tax Planning

Stewart H. Welch, III

• Publisher: Wiley
• Year: 2026
• Print ISBN:
  9781394420933
• eBook ISBN:
  9781394420940
• Edition: 7
• Topic: Personal Development
• Subtopic: Personal Finance

The essential handbook to estate planning, fully updated for 2025 

Since its first publication in 2002, New Rules for Estate, Retirement, and Tax Planning has sold more than 40,000 copies, providing a solid, accessible introduction to estate planning for any age or income bracket. Now in its seventh edition, New Rules for Estate, Retirement, and Tax Planning continues this tradition, covering taxes, trusts, donations, life insurance, and wills in easy-to-understand language that offers valuable insights and solid strategies to help you preserve your wealth and plan your estate so that your assets go to the people and groups you've selected. This comprehensive guide answers questions like: How much do I need to retire comfortably? How do I protect my children's inheritance? How do I ensure planned donations are made after I'm gone? 

The Seventh Edition is fully updated to reflect the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025 (OBBBA), which contains the most comprehensive changes to the tax code since 2017. You'll learn how the new regulations impact your estate planning, retirement strategies, and tax obligations. Major updates, like the permanent $15 million estate tax exemption ($30 million for married couples), expanded deductions for tips, overtime pay, and Social Security, new charitable contribution rules, higher child tax credits, and beneficial changes to the SALT deduction cap are all covered. 

You'll also find advice on working with elderly parents and how to introduce financial planning concepts to children and teenagers, as well as an up-to-date list of professional advisers and a glossary of estate planning terms. 

With this book you will: 

• Understand estate planning and obtain solid strategies for growing your wealth 
• Explore asset protection and succession planning strategies to safeguard family businesses and farms 
• Discover how the One Big Beautiful Bill Act affects your estate, retirement, and tax planning 
• Stay informed of relevant law changes with an author-managed website at www.welchgroup.com 

New Rules for Estate, Retirement, and Tax Planning contains a wealth of valuable information for any adult who needs help planning their financial future, from the established professional heading toward retirement, to the young adult looking to understand the basics. Wherever you are in your journey, this book will help you grow, maintain, protect, and guide your legacy. 

Table of contents

• Cover
• Table of Contents
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• CHAPTER 1: One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025
• CHAPTER 2: Estate Planning
• CHAPTER 3: The Estate Tax System
• Chapter 4: Investment Strategies for Maximizing Estate Growth
• CHAPTER 5: Retirement Planning: Living Your Dream
• CHAPTER 6: You Don't Have a Will? Big Trouble!
• CHAPTER 7: Where There's a Will, There's Your Way!
• CHAPTER 8: Using Trusts in Your Estate Plan
• CHAPTER 9: Understanding the Living Trust
• CHAPTER 10: Using Insurance in Your Estate Plan
• Chapter 11: Smart Strategies for Gifting Assets to Family Members
• CHAPTER 12: Strategic Planning with Charities
• CHAPTER 13: Family Limited Partnerships
• CHAPTER 14: Succession Planning for the Family Business or Farm
• CHAPTER 15: Asset Protection Strategies
• CHAPTER 16: Personal Business Planning Issues
• Chapter 17: The Final Chapter…Or Is It?
• EPILOGUE: Dealing with Parents and Their Money
• APPENDIX A: Professional Advisers
• APPENDIX B: Estate Planning Terms
• APPENDIX C: IRS Life Expectancy Table
• About the Author
• Index
• End User License Agreement