Without any actuarial statistics at hand, there are probably two books of this kind per annum. This one is cautious and cautionary, and deals with the obvious basics: what papers you will need besides the will; the will itself, its probate and expenses; estate planning (whether gifts, trusts, social security, life insurance, investments) and real estate; your advisers (executor, trustee, etc.) and potential victimizers: on down to the grimmer reality of the funeral itself. Mrs. Kutner generally avoids specifics but as a primer it will work as well as the next one.