The Plain English Legal Podcast

First Steps After Huntington's Disease Diagnosis

Diagnosed with Huntington's Disease... What Now?!\

When someone is diagnosed with Huntington's Disease, it impacts the whole family. Not only because others in the family are more likely to be diagnosed in the future, but because planning to take care of a loved one becomes the responsibility of the entire family. In this discussion between attorney and Certified Medicaid Planner(TM) Jeffrey G. Marsocci and financial and care advisor Charles Michael "Mike" Brooks, they focus on the financial, legal, and care steps to plan ahead. #estateplanning #irrevocabletrust #longtermcare #huntingtonsdisease 

Watch the YouTube version here.

Don't forget to subscribe to my Youtube channel @theplainenglishattorney to watch the full videos of my podcast episodes!

Will or Trust?

Which is better, a Last Will and Testament or a Revocable Living Trust?

In this episode, we go 10 rounds in the ring to find out which estate plan is the heavyweight champion. We’ll cover the punch by punch scorecard, and see which legal document weighs in as the best to protect you, your assets, and your loved ones. We’ll take a specific look at 10 big estate planning factors and declare a winner each round:

1. Setup cost
2. Ease of Changes
3. Ease of Understanding
4. Allocation and Distribution
5. Estate Settlement Costs
6. Estate Settlement Time
7. Privacy
8. Maintenance Costs and Time
9. Ease of Contesting an Estate Plan
10. Settlement Agent Hassles

So which one comes out on top? While it’s not a knockout or a unanimous decision, there is a clear winner. #probate #livingtrust #revocablelivingtrust

Watch the YouTube version here.

Don't forget to subscribe to my Youtube channel @theplainenglishattorney to watch the full videos of my podcast episodes!

6 Ways Attorneys Overcomplicate Estate Planning

Not all attorneys get into the legal business for the right reasons. Some even intentionally cross lines to inflate their bottom line at the expense of their clients. In this episode, we review 6 ways overcomplicating estates in the planning phase can lead to more money for the lawyers now and in the future.

These areas include:

1. Types of estate allocations and distributions
2. Splitting up the same essential duties among different agents
3. Doubling or tripling (or more) the amount of paperwork
4. Choosing the simpler documents to create more (billable) paperwork later
5. Needlessly dragging more people into probate court than necessary
6. Ignoring the details on the single best way to avoid court

 #probate #revocabletrust #estateplanningattorney #livingtrust #estateplan 

Watch the YouTube version here.

Don't forget to subscribe to my Youtube channel @theplainenglishattorney to watch the full videos of my podcast episodes!

Medicaid 101

About 50% of the country will have some need for long term care in the future, and these statistics jump to more than 75% for at least one of a married couple. This episode is geared specifically for newcomers to the concept of Medicaid planning as a way to handle long term care expenses without the family going completely broke. Jeff and special guest David Cole of the Senior Veterans Council will review all of the basic rules, legal documents, and other techniques followed by an open question and answer session.

Watch the YouTube version here.

Don't forget to subscribe to my Youtube channel @theplainenglishattorney to watch the full videos of my podcast episodes!

7 Reasons Premarital Agreements Implode

People who use prenups but still lose big in a #divorce probably tripped over one or more of 7 big reasons for legal failure. In this episode, Jeff does a full rundown of these largely #diy mistakes and how they can be avoided in putting together a proper prenup.

Check out the soon-to-be rebranded book The Divorce Firewall Strategy at http://www.UltimatePrenup.com

Watch the YouTube version here.

Don't forget to subscribe to my Youtube channel @theplainenglishattorney to watch the full videos of my podcast episodes!

 

5 Hidden Keys to Special Needs Estate Planning

Special Needs Planning myths are abundant and persistent.

In this edition, Attorney and Certified Medicaid Planner Jeffrey G. Marsocci discusses not just 5 of the most pervasive myths but the key thinking about them differently and dispelling them.

Check out the YouTube version here.

Don't forget to subscribe to my Youtube channel @theplainenglishattorney to watch the full videos of my podcast episodes!

#specialneeds #specialneedsplanning #specialneedsplanningguide #estateplanning #trust #theplainenglishattorney #podcast #theplainenglishattorneypodcast #estateplanningattorney #estateplanninglawyer

Seven Big Questions on Revocable vs Irrevocable Trusts

One of the more popular videos on revocable vs. irrevocable trusts brought out some great questions from a subscriber, and simply responding in the comments would not have done them justice. This video runs through those 7 big questions in more detail. #estateplanning #irrevocabletrust #revocabletrust

For the video version, check us out on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/Ne0GVxBeeik

Revocable Living Trusts and Family Limited Partnerships: Coordinating Business and Estate Strategies

With investments and businesses booming over the last few years and the federal estate tax limits being cut in half in a few years, business owners are looking for ways to reduce or eliminate potential estate taxes. A Family Limited Partnership is one way of “compressing” the value of businesses in combination with a gifting strategy to reduce a potential taxable estate. But how does all of this coordinate with a good revocable living trust? And can it also be used in conjunction with generational protection planning to ensure inheritances reach the grandchildren?

In this webinar, Jeffrey G. Marsocci, also known as The Plain English Attorney®, will review how to merge business, estate tax, and estate planning goals into one coordinated plan.

To see the actual video of this one, please check out the YouTube version here.

Don't forget to subscribe to my Youtube channel @theplainenglishattorney to watch the full videos of my podcast episodes!

#theplainenglishattorney #podcast #theplainenglishattorneypodcast #estatetax #federaltax #familylimitedpartnership #trust #revocabletrust #estateplanning #estateplanningattorney #estateplanninglawyer

Who's On The Team?

When the financial and legal professionals in your life work together, it leads to better outcomes. No one person can be an expert in everything, and it is the balance of legal, financial, tax, and insurance knowledge applied to your goals that can make all the difference in you and your family's future. That's why the ultra rich are turning to Family Offices. However, you don't have to be uber wealthy to take advantage of a "Digital Family Office."

For the full YouTube video on this topic, please click here to watch.

Subscribe to my Youtube channel @theplainenglishattorney to watch the full videos of my podcast episodes!

#theplainenglishattorneypodcast #podcast #estateplanning

Electronic Will Signings? An Estate Planning Disaster Waiting to Happen

One of the "benefits" of the recent lockdowns (if you can really call it a benefit) is a leap in the public's technological skills in staying connected remotely. This also led people to expect to continue to doing things remotely, like signing legal documents.

In this podcast, Jeff reviews why electronic signing of estate planning documents is not only not allowed (in North Carolina), but is just plainly a bad idea.

For the full YouTube video on this topic, please click here to watch.

Subscribe to my Youtube channel @theplainenglishattorney to watch the full videos of my podcast episodes!

#theplainenglishattorneypodcast #podcast #estateplanning