Plain English Guide to Estate Planning

Most families have no estate plan. Not because they don't care. Because nobody ever explained it clearly.Every year, millions of American families lose time, money, and privacy when someone dies without a living trust. The estate gets tied up in probate for 12 to 18 months. Attorney fees consume 3 to 8 percent of the gross estate. The retirement account goes to an ex-spouse because a beneficiary designation was never updated. A court decides who raises the children.These are not rare disasters. They happen in ordinary families with ordinary estates. Almost all of them are completely preventable with the right documents in place.The Plain English Guide to Estate Planning covers:- Why a will alone does not avoid probate and what  actually does- How a revocable living trust works and the one  funding step everyone skips that makes it useless- How to choose a successor trustee and name  beneficiaries without the mistakes that cause  family disputes- What a durable financial power of attorney does  and why you need it before you ever need it- Healthcare proxy and advance directive — the two  documents that protect your medical wishes- Tax strategy including the step-up in basis and  the annual gift tax exclusion- Digital assets, cryptocurrency, and online accounts- Special situations: blended families, business  owners, minor children, and special needs  beneficiariesIncludes 8 ready-to-use template forms in the appendix.This book is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.Nathan Cross — The Plain English Legal & Financial Library — Cross Legal Press