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.
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A general question I hear from new clients is whether or not they have to worry about "death taxes." The term "death tax" is actually political, and candidates use it as a campaign football. In actuality, there are several different taxes related to estates and inheritances that may or may not...
"Never, Would I Ever..." Estate Planning
When many people are thinking about estate planning for the first time, it is not exactly the most comfortable thing to think about. Because of that, there are a lot of contingencies, pathways, and options that people fail to consider. But that's...
When volunteering recently with my Civitan club at the Carolina Tiger Rescue, the question popped up on whether or not you can inherit a Tiger in light of the Big Cat Public Safety Act of 2022, and that naturally led to questions about Pet Trusts and what kind of language is needed in an estate...
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...
It sounds ridiculous that it even has to be stated, but with the New Year we need to focus on fact-based solutions to our problems... and that will be considered "revolutionary." As I usually do, I have been on my annual end-of-year break and, unfortunately, I had a chance to dig a few inches...
'Twas the night before probate, and all through the house
Not an asset was spared, for there was no spouse
Nor were there children, or any appointed heirs
For the deceased had no plans, nor had he cared
The forms were stacked high, with supporting documentation
Billable hours were spent,...
There are multiple traps, myths, and outright falsehoods when it comes to estate planning for a special needs beneficiary, and it doesn’t help when these lies spread like wildfire. But why do they spread? Usually because someone had a single good or bad experience, and they wrongly...
A Last Will and Testament is supposed to be a way to communicate your wishes after you’re gone… but there are a lot of “extra” things DIY people (and even some attorneys) put into Wills that really don’t belong there and could cause problems down the road.
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When people meet with an estate planner for the first time, it is often uncomfortable. After all, they're there to talk about death and where their stuff goes. It's not a subject that most people are eager to address. But it's something that everyone needs to do. So what can the estate planner do...
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...
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...
When it comes to estate planning with a revocable living trust, I often use the suitcase analogy. When it comes to avoiding probate, a revocable living trust is like a suitcase. It is designed to take your things from one place to another, and there are many different levels of quality. My...
