Few 90's families bear any resemblance to the Cleavers and Nelsons of the 50's. The majority of today's households are headed up by single parents, step-parents, grandparents, same-sex parents, adoptive parents, divorced parents. This book with its unique user-friendly design addresses the major financial and legal concerns that nontraditional families have in common and provides explicit strategies for coping with these issues. It also offers sound advice on issues pertaining to a wide variety of family situations everything from designating guardians for minor children to naming beneficiaries to health insurance for same-sex couples.

Icons are assigned to each family type and repeated throughout the book whenever the subject matter is applicable to that family structure.

• Boxes, sidebars, and icons highlight resources, legal tips, budget strategies, and sources of consumer assistance.

Emily Card (Santa Monica, California) is an attorney and personal finance expert. She is co-author of several previous books, including The Single Parent's Money Guide. Christie Watts Kelly (Memphis, Tennessee) is a freelance writer.