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
beneficiaries

Includes 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