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Ethical Wills: Putting Your Values on Paper, 2nd Edition

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Whether you want to write your own ethical will or help others write about their values and what they want to leave behind - this book will help you. Dr Barry Baines is caring, honest and has in-depth experience which he shares with us in this book. I found myself coming back to it for a second and third time. Even when I see it just sitting there on my book shelf, it triggers more thoughts about my own life and what I will leave behind. This book gives you something to think about and to work with. It will touch you.

Most wills are legal documents. They discuss how to split up the physical assets you have accumulated over the years. For the most part this comes down to money, perhaps a few treasured possessions, a house/car/boat, and so on.

A second legal document is a living will. It is a document that directs decision makers if you are no longer capable of making decisions on your own. Perhaps the most famous such situation in recent memory was that of Terri Schiavo. In the absense of a living will, the courts said that her husband was the one legally in charge of making these decisions. As you probably remember, her parents held different opinions, but in the long run the husband was in control.

An Ethical Will, on the other hand, is not a legal document but a letter you might write to your family to express the values you hold dear. It's a document that explains how you think, perhaps why you think that way. This little book explains Ethical Wills, gives some excellent examples, and explains why you might want one.

Ethical Wills by Barry Baines, MD breaks new ground in the ethical will movement within the US. Written for easy comprehension, this book covers the topic in excellent fashion, while providing the inspiration so essential to completing the task of putting our values in print for those we leave behind. I highly recommend this book, not only for the informational content, but for the encouragement it brings for completing the process. The section on living wills and advance directives is also very informative and useful. For those looking for a single source of information on this subject, Ethical Wills by Barry Baines is an outstanding resource.

Easy to read and understand. Found this book very useful in discovering more information about ethical wills. Several written examples also provided.

If you are searching for a venue to create a legacy for your family that will continue for generations to come, purchase Bary Baines Ethical Wills, Second Edition to assist you in preparing this written legacy. The intriguing concept of sharing ones' values and ethics is a priceless investment not only to the writer but to everyone who will ever read the document. Baines also includes information and insight into another important document that everyone needs to write: The Living Will. This book is a valuable investment that is worth more that you will ever pay. It is well written, inspiring and when you complete it you will have a legacy to leave your heirs.

This is a great introduction to ethical wills. They sound really mysterious but it's a great concept -- writing a letter to the future -- that's a really valuable gift for a family. And it's a really useful process for the writer. It can give you a whole different perspective on how valuable your experiences are.

Dr. Baines is an expert in the field of Ethical Wills and he shares some of that expertise in this book. For anyone who is serious about writing their personal Ethical Will or anyone working in the field of estate planning this is a must read.