The document discusses the importance of estate planning and provides a top 10 list of reasons to do estate planning. It begins with defining estate planning as a way to distribute your assets according to your wishes after your death or incapacitation. The top 10 reasons include protecting pets, leaving a charitable legacy, protecting assets from children's creditors, passing values to future generations, and ensuring one's wishes are fulfilled. The document also provides brief history of estate taxes in the United States.

1. What is Estate Planning? And… Top Ten Reasons To Do Estate Planning (none of them are about Estate Taxes)

2. What Is Estate Planning? Taxes/ Probate Enhance Wealth Preserve Values & Wealth Protect Your Family & Loved Ones (Pets?) Plan for & Protect Yourself

3. In Other Words… Giving What You Want To Whom You Want When You Want The Way You Want Taxes/ Probate Enhance Wealth Preserve Values & Wealth Protect Your Family & Loved Ones (Pets?) Plan for & Protect Yourself

4. So, What About the Estate Tax? 1797-1801- Navy ‘stamp’ 1862-1870- Civil War 5% 1898-1902- Spanish-American War 15% 1916- World War 1 10-25% 1934- Roosevelt- 60%, 1935- 70% ~~Various Adjustments- esp. 2001 Taxes/ Probate Enhance Wealth Preserve Values & Wealth Protect Your Family & Loved Ones (Pets?) Plan for & Protect Yourself

5. The 2001 Estate Tax Plan 2005 $1.5 M 47% 2006 $ 2 M 46% 2007 $ 2 M 45% 2008 $ 2 M 45% 2009 $3.5 M 45% 2010 Repealed 35% (Gift tax) Step Up Gone -Recordkeeping Nightmare 2011 Approx. 1M 55%