9 Ways to Avoid Estate Taxes

Nolo Press built its reputation on making law accessible to non-lawyers, and Denis Clifford and Mary Randolph — both credentialed attorneys — deliver on that promise here. The nine strategies they cover, from annual gifts to Bypass Trusts to QTIP structures, are explained in plain language that helps readers understand the principles before they ever sit down with an attorney. That clarity is genuine value. The essential caveat is time: this is a 1999 book, and federal estate tax law has changed dramatically since — the exemption threshold that once kicked in at $625,000 now stands in the millions, making some of the specific framing obsolete. Treat this as historical background and a primer on how estate planning tools work, not as current guidance. Then confirm every strategy with a current Nolo edition or a tax attorney.