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No Loose Ends
The Smart & Slightly Morbid Guide to Estate Planning & End-of-Life Tasks
Adam Zuckerman (Author)
9781394374809, Wiley
Hardback, published 7 May 2026
480 pages
23.1 x 16.3 x 4.3 cm, 0.703 kg
Foreword by the President of the National Funeral Directors Association. Most estate planning books focus on documents. In No Loose Ends, attorney, estate planning, and end-of-life educator Adam Zuckerman delivers a clear, plain-English guide to the entire spectrum of planning, from wills and trusts to caregiving logistics, funeral decisions, digital assets, and what actually happens after someone dies. This book does not just explain paperwork. It explains the system your family will rely on. With clarity, empathy, and a touch of dark humor, Zuckerman connects estate planning, end-of-life decisions, and post-death responsibilities into one understandable framework. Readers gain the high-level context most families only learn in the middle of a crisis. Inside, you will learn: Designed to give readers confidence before meeting with an attorney, financial advisor, or funeral professional, No Loose Ends helps you ask better questions and make informed decisions. Throughout the book, readers are guided to practical tools and additional resources from Buried in Work, bridging education and action. Because estate planning isn't just about documents. It's about clarity, preparation, and making life easier for the people you love.
Featuring professional commentary from funeral director Jess Wakefield.
Most end-of-life books focus on emotions.
Almost none connect the full picture.
Foreword xi Preface xiii Part I Introduction to End-of-Life Planning 1 What This Book Is 2 What This Book Isn’t 2 How This Book Is Organized 3 Chapter 1 Spoiler Alert: You’re Going to Die 5 Death by the Numbers (And Why It Feels Like Everyone Is Dying) 7 Five Simple Actions to Kickstart Your Organized Estate 8 Part II Estate Planning Is for Everyone 11 Chapter 2 What Is Estate Planning? 13 When to Start Estate Planning 16 Can You DIY, When You Need a Professional, and What You Can Expect to Pay 18 Chapter 3 The Estate Planning Pyramid: Core Concepts and Documents 23 Essential Tool #1: Your Core Estate Planning Glossary 24 Essential Tool #2: Last Will and Testament (AKA: Your Will) 26 Essential Tool #3: Advance Directives, DNRs, POLST, and MOLST 37 Essential Tool #4: Powers of Attorney 49 Essential Tool #5: HIPAA Authorization 59 Essential Tool #6: Beneficiary Designations and Payable on Death Instructions 61 Essential Tool #7: Digital Legacy Plan 62 Essential Tool #8: Key Contact Log 67 Essential Tool #9: Final Resting Place Instructions 68 Essential Tool #10: Letter of Instruction 69 Chapter 4 The Estate Planning Pyramid: Organization and Conversation 71 Why Organization Matters 72 How to Choose the Best Organization System for Your Situation 75 What to Include in Your Estate Organization System 76 Starting the Conversation 85 Chapter 5 The Estate Planning Pyramid: Advanced Concepts and Documents 89 What High-Net-Worth Families Do Differently 90 Trusts 101 92 Unclaimed Property 104 Life Insurance 108 PreNeed and Funeral Insurance 112 Retirement Accounts and Benefits 116 Business Succession Planning 119 Estate and Inheritance Tax 124 Taxable Gifts 128 Donor Advised Funds 131 Charitable Remainder Trusts 133 Special Needs Trusts 135 Family Foundations 137 Part III Living Well Through the End 141 Chapter 6 Comfort, Care, and Control 143 Aging in Place 144 Support for Caregivers 145 Care Options Beyond the Home 146 Palliative Care and Hospice Care 149 Death Doulas 150 Financial and Legal Considerations of Care Planning 152 Understanding Medicare, Medicaid, and Supplemental Insurance 154 End-of-Life Topics People Don’t Talk About Enough 156 Chapter 7 What to Do (and What Can Wait) When Someone Dies 159 What Typically Happens in the First 24–72 Hours After a Death 161 Checklist: What You’ll Do in the First 72 Hours 162 Seven Truths About the Time After Someone Dies 171 The First 72 Hours After Someone Dies: Commonly Asked Questions 173 Chapter 8 Death Certificates, Autopsies, and Investigations 183 Death Certificates 184 Investigations 186 Other Documents You May Encounter 188 Chapter 9 Refrigeration, Moving a Body, and Embalming 191 When Refrigeration Buys You Time 192 How to (Legally) Move a Body 193 Bringing Someone Home: What Happens When a Death Happens Abroad 194 Embalming 197 Chapter 10 Organ, Tissue, and Whole-Body Donation 201 Understanding Your Donation Options 201 Chapter 11 Grief Brain and Real-Life Logistics Tips 205 Four Tips to Work with Grief Brain (Instead of Against It) 206 Part IV End-of-Life Professions, Planning Services, and Final Resting Places 215 Chapter 12 Inside the Funeral Profession 217 An Insider’s Look at the Funeral Service Profession 218 Spotlighting Several of the Organizations That Serve the Profession 220 Talking Like a Funeral Pro (Without Needing to Be One) 222 Selecting the Right Funeral Home and Bringing the Right Information to an Arrangement Conference 226 Understanding the FTC Rule 229 Chapter 13 Planning Services and Tributes 233 Funerals, Memorials, and Celebrations of Life 234 Understanding Funeral Costs: What to Expect and How to Manage Them 240 Deep Dives: Funerals, Memorials, Celebrations of Life, and Wakes 246 Obituaries 259 Alternative Memorial Services and Emerging Trends 261 Chapter 14 Exploring Final Resting Place Options 273 What’s Legal, What’s Local, and What’s Personal 274 Because Death Isn’t the Only Thing That’s Final: Decision Points That Can’t Be Reversed 275 Understanding Final Resting Places 276 Cemeteries 276 Burial 280 Cremation 295 Weird, Wonderful, and Surprisingly Moving Things to Do with Ashes 306 Greener Goodbyes: Green Burial, Composting, and Mushroom Suits 309 Chapter 15 Cultural, Spiritual, and Religious Traditions 321 Christian Traditions 322 Hindu Traditions 324 Jewish Traditions 325 Muslim Traditions 328 Nonreligious Traditions 330 LGBTQ+ Traditions and Considerations 332 Chapter 16 Veterans’ Funeral Benefits 333 Burial in a VA National Cemetery 333 Burial in a Private Cemetery 334 Military Funeral Honors 335 Burial Flags 336 Presidential Memorial Certificate 336 VA Burial Allowances 337 Headstones, Markers, and Medallions 337 Survivor Benefits 337 Documentation: The Most Important Step 338 Part V Estate Transition and Estate Settlement 339 Chapter 17 The Purpose of Settling an Estate 341 Executors, Administrators, and Trustees: The Core Players in Estate Transition 342 The Other Important Roles and Responsibilities in Estate Transition 345 Common Terms in Estate Transition 347 Chapter 18 Probate 101 351 Understanding the Purpose and Importance of Probate 352 What Is Probate Court? 353 The Probate Process Is State Specific 353 Simplified Probate vs. Full Probate 354 Commonly Asked Questions: Probate and Estate Settlement 355 Chapter 19 The Nine Steps of Probate 363 Step 1: Locate the Will (If There Is One) 363 Step 2: Open the Probate Case 366 Step 3: Notify Interested Parties 370 Step 4: Secure and Value the Estate 372 Step 5: Manage Ongoing Estate Matters 375 Step 6: Handle Debts and Taxes 377 Step 7: Court Reporting and Oversight 379 Step 8: Distribute Remaining Assets 381 Step 9: Close the Estate 383 Chapter 20 Managing Legal and Financial Affairs 387 Opening a Bank Account for the Estate 387 Review and Handle Safe Deposit Boxes 389 Notify the Post Office and Set Up Mail Forwarding 390 Notify the Landlord or Mortgage Lender 392 Notify Utility Companies and Cancel or Transfer Services 393 Notify Homeowners and Property Insurance Carriers 395 Chapter 21 Handling Benefits, Credit, and Accounts 397 Notify Social Security and Federal Agencies 397 Apply for the Social Security Lump Sum Death Benefit 399 File for Social Security Survivor Benefits 401 Notify the VA and Apply for Veterans’ Benefits 403 Contact Former Employers for Employee Benefits 405 Notify a Credit Bureau 406 Close Credit Cards and Bank Accounts 408 Chapter 22 Managing Digital and Social Accounts 411 Secure Digital Assets and Subscriptions 411 Close or Memorialize Social Media Accounts 412 Manage Email Accounts and Auto-Replies 414 Check for Digital Assets with Monetary Value 415 Cancel Online Memberships and Subscriptions 417 Chapter 23 Final Taxes 421 The Final Return 421 Estate and Trust Returns 422 State Taxes 422 The Role of the Executor 422 Planning Ahead 422 Part VI Understanding Inheritance 423 Chapter 24 What Inheritance Really Means 425 Timing and Distribution 426 Estate and Inheritance Taxes 427 Retirement Accounts and Beneficiary Designations 430 Life Insurance and Payouts 431 Real Estate and Mortgages 432 Investments and Business Interests 434 Personal Property and Sentimental Assets 435 Debts and Liabilities 436 Disclaiming an Inheritance 438 Special Assets with Special Rules 439 Common Surprises and Hidden Property 440 Planning for What You Receive 441 References 445 Congratulations, You Made It to the End of the Book 447 About the Authors 449 Acknowledgments 451 In Memory – Andrew Zuckerman 453 Index 455
Subject Areas: Finance & accounting [KF]
