We were looking through the ABA Journal’s 8th Annual Blawg 100, in which 100 legal blogs are highlighted, and a blog called Wills, Trusts & Estates Prof Blog caught our eye. Gerry W. Beyer, the Governor Preston E. Smith Regents Professor of Law at Texas Tech University School of Law, is the blog’s editor and frequent contributor.

Gerry W. Beyer

The blog addresses a number of issues facing trust and estate attorneys, including ethical and legal issues that arise.  These postings can be very enlightening for legal consumers who have or need a will.  Recent posts include information about powers of attorney, competency issues, gift tax issues, young adult estate planning, and an estate planning to-do list, to name a few.  A pull down menu reveals a number of relevant categories of blog posts, including Estate Administration, Estate Tax, and Non-Probate Assets.

There are also posts imparting cautionary tales from current events, and posts about “green burials and cremations” – biodegradable coffins, organic flagstone grave markers, and no embalming fluids or concrete fortresses.  There is even a post titled “Finding Forever After Death” – apparently you can have your ashes pressed into a vinyl record, made into a diamond, or mixed with seeds and planted to become a tree.

There is a wealth of information for legal consumers who plan to go it alone or hire an attorney.  And when it comes to wills, trusts and estates, Professor Beyer’s blog is a great resource.