About Jeffrey Smith
Jeffrey Smith, Licensed Insurance Agent and Estate Planning Expert
Jeffrey Smith is a licensed life insurance, health insurance, property and casualty insurance agent and retirement specialist with over a decade of experience. He is the author of CreateALivingTrust.com and Marketing Director of Bulletproof Legacy Financial, based in Medford, Oregon.
Articles by Jeffrey Smith
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Living Trust vs. Will Cost: Which Estate Planning Option Costs More?
Living Trust vs Will Cost: Comparing Upfront and Long-Term Estate Planning Expenses Compare Upfront Costs, Asset Transfers, Updates, Probate Considerations, and the Broader Long-Term Cost Picture A will typically costs less to create than a living trust, but the real answer depends on what happens after you sign the paperwork. If you’re comparing sticker prices…
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How to Amend a Living Trust: When and How to Make Changes
How to Amend a Living Trust: Updates, Restatements, and Life Changes Explained Understand Amendments, Restatements, Major Life Changes, and When Your Trust Should Be Reviewed Your life doesn’t stay the same, so your trust shouldn’t either — and the good news is that updating a revocable living trust is usually far simpler than creating one…
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Can You Refinance a House That Is in a Living Trust?
Refinance House in Living Trust: Lender, Title, and Retitling Requirements to Know Learn How Lender Requirements, Title, Trustee Authority, Temporary Retitling, and Trust Documents Can Affect a Refinance Yes, you can refinance a house that’s titled in a living trust—but whether you close in the trust’s name or have to temporarily move the property out…
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Do You Need an EIN for a Living Trust?
Does a Living Trust Need an EIN? Tax ID Rules During Life and After Death Learn When a Revocable Trust Can Use the Grantor’s Tax Information, What Changes After Death, and When a New EIN May Be Required A living trust usually sails through your lifetime without ever needing its own federal tax ID number,…
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Revocable Living Trust for Married Couples: Joint vs. Separate Trusts
Revocable Living Trust for Married Couple Planning: Joint vs Separate Trust Options Compare Joint and Separate Trust Structures, Property Ownership, Control, Incapacity Planning, and State-Law Considerations Should a married couple share one trust, or does each spouse need a separate one? The answer isn’t universal, and the right call depends on your state’s property laws,…
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Executor vs. Trustee: What’s the Difference?
Executor vs Trustee: Comparing Their Roles, Authority, and Responsibilities Compare Their Authority, Responsibilities, Timing, Court Oversight, and Roles in Wills and Living Trusts An executor handles your probate estate through the court system, while a trustee manages assets already sitting inside your trust—and if you’ve set up both documents, the same person might wear two…
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Living Trust Cost by State: Why Your Location Can Affect the Price
Living Trust Cost by State: How Location Can Change Your Estate Planning Price See How Attorney Markets, State Requirements, Real Estate Transfers, and Estate Complexity Can Influence What You Pay Article-at-a-Glance Ask ten estate planning attorneys in ten different states what a living trust costs, and you’ll get ten different answers — and all of…
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Living Trust Funding Checklist: What to Do After You Sign Your Trust
Living Trust Funding Checklist: Essential Steps for a Fully Funded Trust Use This Practical Checklist to Organize Asset Transfers, Beneficiary Designations, Records, and Follow-Up You signed your trust, shook the notary’s hand, and maybe even celebrated a little — but if you stopped there, your estate plan isn’t finished yet. A living trust only protects…
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Does Putting a House in a Trust Affect Property Taxes?
Does Putting a House in a Trust Affect Property Taxes? Reassessment and Exemption Rules Explained Understand Why the Answer Depends on State and Local Law, Ownership Changes, Reassessment Rules, and Available Exclusions Putting a house in a trust does not automatically raise or lower your property tax bill, but the paperwork you file and the…
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Living Trust Laws by State: What Changes When You Move or Own Property Elsewhere?
Living Trust Laws by State: How Trust Rules, Taxes, and Property Laws Can Differ Understand Trust Validity, Administration, Real Estate, Taxes, Marital Property, and Why a Move Can Trigger an Estate-Plan Review Your living trust doesn’t expire at the state line, but the rules governing it can change the moment you cross one. That’s the…