"It can be a chaotic time when a loved one passes. The last thing you need is to be searching for documents or information. In " Get It Together ," Cullen and Irving give you everything you need so your loved ones know where everything is when they need it. With their system, you''ll create a binder to contain all your vital information, such account passwords, insurance information, tax records and other estate planning documents. With " Get It Together ," you''ve got a great a place to start your estate planning. The book really takes the guesswork out of preparation. So, if you''re just starting the process, " Get It Together " is the perfect companion for the trip. That''s why it''s our #1 pick for best books on estate planning.

" Andrew Dehan, Yahoo! Finance Get It Together is a compassionate guide to end-of-life planning.Melanie Cullen''s Get It Together is a detailed guide to getting your end-of-life ducks in a row. No one wants to think about their own death or what happens once they''re gone; the same goes for thinking about the death of a loved one. But without proper planning, this grief-filled inevitability can be fraught with frustration, added pain, and legal issues for those left behind. Aside from the emotional weight, thinking through every element of a death and getting everything organized can be overwhelming. Cullen''s clear-eyed guide will help to make the process as smooth as possible. The book''s main focus is on organizing the information and documentation that a loved one would need to honor the wishes and commitments of a departed person. There''s space in the second half of the book to fill in answers; information and documentation can be also organized in a binder, available separately.

All the mentioned forms can be downloaded and tailored to an individual''s needs. Covered topics include healthcare, finances, dependent care, and funeral planning. From practical considerations, like coordinating care for children, pets, and other dependents, to the nostalgic ones, like a writing a last letter to loved ones, it is easy to understand why this would be regarded as a trusted guide. This edition builds on the seven previous ones, considering every possibility and infusing every recommendation with empathy and wisdom. Helpful examples arise throughout the book''s explanations and are designed to jump start the planning process. There are tips for putting together the recommended binder, lists of additional resources, and advice about when to get professional help, such as for setting up trusts. Practical information, like estimates for burial costs, is also included. Beyond the book''s wealth of wisdom, its most helpful feature is its compassion.

Each tip and element of the book''s layout reflects care and concern for those completing their binders and their loved ones. It becomes evident that, no matter a person''s personal situation, looking ahead and preparing for death is an important and empowering task. By revealing all of the choices that can be made and by making communication regarding death easier, the book imparts a sense of control over what cannot be controlled." Reviewed by Melissa Wuske, Foreword Clarion Reviews "Provides a guide to collecting and organizing important records, and how to store and protect them, for readers and their family members." Reference & Research Book News "Offers a detailed, step-by-step process for gathering records and key documents and organizing them for future use." Sacramento Bee "Love your family? Get it together! One of the best features about the book is that not only does it give you a way to collect all of this information, it also gives family members an easy-to-follow, step-by-step plan that will prove indispensable in a tumultuous time." TimesNews.net "Loose Ends, Neatly Tied Together.

Knowing that no matter what stage you or your loved ones are at in getting all these records together, you''ll have an easy and seriously stress-relieving, step-by-step path to follow from the book''s very first page." Personal Finance in BetterInvesting Magazine From the Author: When my mother was sick, she and I discussed a few important items: her final arrangements; her insurance agent, attorney, and financial advisor; the location of her safe deposit box. Although sparse, these bits of information were precious to me when the time came. Soon after she passed, I created a personal planner with my own important information and records--the basis for Get It Together . Get It Together is a guide and resource to help you create your own personal planner--an organizer for you and an eventual road map for your loved ones. It covers 28 topics, including you, your family, your work endeavors; your assets and liabilities; your estate planning and final wishes. It provides a framework for newlyweds and parents, for those planning travel or deployment, for seniors--really, for all mortals.