The 10 Biggest Legal Mistakes Women Can Avoid: How to Protect Yourself, Your Children, and Your Assets [With Sample Documents]

By Marilyn Barrett

Women are amazingly adept at multi-tasking, balancing home and work and relationships, managing finances, and generally learning whatever is needed to get the job done or to take care of things. Why then do we get ourselves into avoidable legal messes? During Marilyn Barrett's more than twenty years of practicing law, she has found that women of all socioeconomic and educational levels consistently make certain mistakes that land them in an attorney's office. These legal messes can devastate them economically and emotionally, and make them desperate. This book describes - in plain, non-legalese language - the basic preventative measures women can take to avoid the following legal pitfalls when they fail to protect themselves and their children in - Legal title to property - Prenuptial agreements -Marriage and divorce - Starting and running a business -Paying taxes - Estate planning, and - Hiring attorneys. A comprehensive appendix of sample documents provides added protection. By using plain English and focusing on the general information women need to know, and telling women's stories that show how easy it is to get into a bad situation, Ms. Barrett becomes a pocket attorney for all women. The book has been endorsed by Senator Dianne Feinstein.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1892123290
• ISBN13: 9781892123299
• Release Date: November 2000
• Publisher: Capital Books (VA)
• Length: 268 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

A truly informative and helpful book

This is a great book! Being a young, modern and relatively "hip" married woman (one who now co-ownes a business with her husband), I decided it was time to educate myself about all the legal stuff I'd been ignoring for years. I was especially intrigued by the author's approach to the legal aspects of marriage/children, property and taxes. These were topics I would not typically view in a "legal" light (hey, my husband handles the legal stuff), and I would certainly never have considered myself at legal risk. Reading this book really opened my eyes about where I stand as far as the law is concerned - Whaddyaknow, I'm considered a responsible, accountable adult! While this may seem like a no-brainer, the stories and information in this book really brought it home that I had better step up and take responsibility for myself. Thanks to this book I now have a clear understanding of the potential legal and financial hazards to which I may be exposed, and I also have the tools to avoid those dangers and make sound decisions that will protect my family from legal and/or financial peril. This is a truly informative and helpful book.

A really smart woman

is Marilyn Barrett. She has so much valuable information to give, and she does it in such an easy way to understand. Legalistics, to me, always had sort of a frightening tinge, because I thought I wouldn't be able to absorb everything, and therefore I'd get screwed somewhere. But Marilyn has made the most complicated problems easy, and then she gives you examples that are also simple to identify with -- so I was quite able to follow all her practical suggestions.This book is for all women -- because all of us will find ourselves in at least one of the situations in her book before too long. I'm a small business owner, plus married for a second time, plus I took care of my mother during a long-term illness until she died recently. Marilyn's book brings up all of these aspects of living, offers solutions to problems I didn't even know I'd encounter, and is a book I'll keep on my shelf as a reference every time I have a legal-type question.Thanks for writing it, it was great. Jennie

I only wish I'd known

This book is not only informative to women, believe me. I picked up my wife's copy, more to see what she'd be doing to me after our next argument, and was totally unable to put it down. My wife was quite surprised to find me still reading it the next AM. I think the information MS. Barrett provides is applicable to all sorts of legal, or potentially tricky, legal situations, and NOT all are gender-related. Although I'm in a good marriage now, (I think), I wish I had known some of the tips she's offering TWO wives ago!Sincerely, Ed Philhower, Los Angeles, CA.

For women from all walks of life

Marilyn Barrett has written a book that covers all the major legal areas for today's women. To function in today's world we must educate ourselves and we must know how to get the appropriate help. In a well written, easy to understand book, Ms. Barrett covers areas of interest for women from all walks of life: setting up your own business, choosing appropriate lawyers, understanding legal documents, prenuptial agreements, protecting your children, and divorce. I was delighted by the precision and focus of this book and would highly recommend it.

Fantastic Legal Advice for Women

Marilyn Barrett's book "The Ten Biggest Legal Mistakes Women Can Avoid" is packed full of good legal advice and guidance. I feel it is a must read if you are seeking legal knowledge and considering entering into a marriage, divorce or business. Her advice is a true blessing to all womankind. Thank you for sharing your knowledge of the law with all of us lay women who are not so familar.