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Guide to Estate Planning

Your 1960’s TV Guide to Estate Planning

Authored by Darren R. Carlson, JD

Attorney Carlson

In the spring of 1988, Darren R. Carlson graduated Magna Cum Laude from Creighton University School of Law. Since then, Mr. Carlson has been speaking to and entertaining audiences about estate planning. A series of cancer surgeries have left him with a notable accessory – his infamous black eye patch. After a quarter century of practicing law, Mr. Carlson decided it was time to combine his humor and experience to introduce readers to Estate Planning, complete with nostalgic references to 1960's TV sitcoms to make the read fun and informative.

Listen to a podcast about the book, Your 1960’s TV Guide to Estate Planning, here!

Foreword to the Book by Nicholas Tasler, Author of Why Quitters WinGuide to Estate Planning

When you hear "estate planning," the first words that come to mind are probably not "funny" or "interesting." But don't be surprised if that's exactly what you think of after you read Your 1960s TV Guide to Estate Planning. Darren Carlson's wit and extensive experience make estate planning fun and informative. His creative depictions of beloved 1960s TV families are an ideal stage to spotlight how simple estate planning can be. Whether an estate plan involves providing for young children by wisely preparing to Leave It To Beaver, balancing needs and expectations of a blended Brady Bunch with stepchildren, appointing a corporate trustee to guide the Beverly Hillbillies, reducing estate taxes for wealthy Thurston Howell upon his return from Gilligan's Island, or keeping Archie Bunker's hard-earned assets All in the Family by protecting them from his "meathead" son-in-law, the real life dynamics faced by these fictional kin reflect today's diverse familial situations. Significant life events examined in Little House on the Prairie, Bonanza, and Big Valley illustrate the need for suitable estate planning solutions to an array of distinct family circumstances. Special challenges that arise when assisting an elderly parent are thoughtfully explored on a visit to Walton's Mountain.

At the end of the day, estate planning is a serious topic that that nobody can afford to ignore. But who says serious has to mean boring? Who says common sense has to be complicated? From beginning to end, Carlson's humor and expertise shine through in clever dialogue with an engaging cast of characters we all remember fondly. Never has such a dry topic been more bewitching and entertaining.

  • Nicholas Tasler 
    Author of Why Quitters Win

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