The Plain English Attorney Blog

Far too many attorneys overcomplicate things, making topics convoluted and difficult to understand to the average person. This blog is committed to explaining legal planning topics in an easy to understand format, in plain English. Enjoy the blogs, and please let us know if there is a topic you would like covered.

Sign up for Our Newsletter

Check Out Our Free Webinars

Estate Crash Course Webinar               In-Law Protection Planning Webinar    

Special Needs Planning Webinar          Medicaid Planning Webinar

The Value of Professional Conferences: How Estate Planners Become Rockstars #estateplanning #estateplanningbasics #estateplanningbooks #estatetaxes #financialplanning #planning #trustplanning #trusts #whatisestateplanning asset protection attorney-client relationships estate planning estate planning attorney living trusts north carolina planningattorney revocable living trust revocable trust revocable trusts the plain english attorneyā„¢ trust planning Feb 26, 2024

When it comes to estate planning, there’s always more information coming our way. It’s also not just about tax updates or changes to law, but it can often be just better ways to serve our clients through technological advancements and new platforms. While state bar sponsored...

Continue Reading...
Estate Planning 101 Livestream Announced #estateplanning #estateplanningbasics #estateplanningbooks #financialplanning #genzestateplanning #guides #lastwill #lastwillandtestament #livingwill #planning #trustplanning #trusts estate planning attorney irrevocable trust revocable trust Jan 29, 2024

My law firm and other businesses are committed to providing planning education in the areas of estate, financial, and care assistance planning, and we are adding open livestreams through The Plain English Attorney® YouTube channel. Our 2024 kickoff event is Estate Planning 101 where we will...

Continue Reading...
The Plain English Attorney
The Truth About Gun Trusts
3:57
 
The Truth About Gun Trusts #trustplanning #trusts asset protection asset protection trust attorney trust Jan 15, 2024

Gun Trusts are becoming more and more popular, but there are a lot of misconceptions and myths surrounding them. Just as with avoiding probate in estate planning with a revocable living trust, gun trusts attempt to avoid as much red tape as possible during life and after death. Here are just some...

Continue Reading...
Charity Minefields in Estate Planning #estateplanning #trustplanning #trusts 401k assets attorney advice charity ira north carolina stocks tax-deferred accounts Jan 16, 2023

Giving to charities through gifting and estate planning can provide may rewards, and not just a good feeling knowing you are helping others. There are plenty of tax breaks that can come along with being charitable. However, there are also several minefields that can unintentionally hurt you and...

Continue Reading...
 
My Spouse Isnā€™t My Beneficiary?! #beneficiary #estateplanning #namedbeneficiary #probate #spouses #trusts Oct 18, 2022

When it comes to estate planning, coordinating ownership title and beneficiary designations with your revocable living trust and the overall plan is essential if you actually want to avoid probate. In this video, Jeff explains the reasoning behind why your revocable living trust should be the...

Continue Reading...
How Much Does Probate Cost? #costs #estateplanning #financialplanning #financials #lastwillandtestament #livingwill #probate #trustplanning #trusts Oct 17, 2022

Probate will cost. A lot. When given the statistics, my clients are usually appalled that their estates going through the probate court system would cost so much. On average, the probate court system will eat up about 4-10% of an estate. Many states allow a standard 5% fee for an executor or...

Continue Reading...
EINs and Trusts #estateplanning #estatetaxes #irrevocabletrusts #taxpayerid #trusts May 24, 2022

This question keeps coming up... "Does a trust need a separate taxpayer identification number?" It depends. In general...

* Revocable Living Trusts do not need an EIN/Taxpayer ID if the Trustor(s) are still alive

* Irrevocable Trusts generall DO need a separate EIN

* Hybrid Irrevocable...

Continue Reading...
1 2