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Monday 8:30am - 5:30pm Tuesday 8:30am - 5:30pm Wednesday 8:30am - 5:30pm Thursday 8:30am - 5:30pm

Avara Law, LLC

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United States
Fulton, MD
Avara Law, LLC

Law practice in U.S. domestic and international tax, estate planning, and business. www.avaralaw.com

05/04/2026

📣Korean-speaking friends and family — this one's for you!

We're excited to share the MAP Education Series: "Your Wishes, Your Way: Planning for the Future" — a special seminar series presented entirely in Korean 🇰🇷, designed to help you plan ahead with confidence and peace of mind.

Topics covered include:
✅ Financial planning
✅ Legal considerations
✅ End-of-life planning
✅ Funeral planning

This is a warm, supportive space to learn, ask questions, and take meaningful steps toward honoring your own wishes and values.

🍽️ A light dinner will be provided for all registered attendees!
📍 Bain 50+ Center — 5470 Ruth Keeton Way, Columbia, MD 21044
🕠 All sessions: 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Spots are limited — register today and share this with someone who would benefit! 💛

Register at Howard County Online Services
bit.ly/HoCo-MAPSpringEd

04/20/2026

Most cross-border estate delays have nothing to do with the law and everything to do with a missing tax ID number. 📄

Foreign beneficiaries of U.S. trusts and estates often need an ITIN—an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number—before any distribution can be finalized.

The ITIN delays aren't just about the IRS processing time - which takes 7-14 weeks. The real delay often starts before the application packet even reaches the IRS - when the executor, the trustee, or their banks, closing agents, or even attorneys don't know what entails the ITIN application.

If you have international ties and U.S. assets or an inheritance on the horizon, this is the one compliance piece you cannot afford to overlook.

I've put together a clear, no-fluff explainer on the ITIN process and the traps that catch people off guard. https://usinternationaltax.substack.com/🌍

04/20/2026

🚨 Revocable Living Trust: Great for U.S. Persons, Potentially Disastrous for Foreign Persons, Probably Not Good if U.S. Grantor sets up a Foreign Revocable Trust

The Common Myth: "A revocable living trust avoids probate and has no tax effect."

The Cross-Border Reality: Maybe totally incorrect.

Let’s break it down:

✅ For a U.S. Person (Citizen/Green Card Holder)

· Income Tax: Disregarded entity (Grantor Trust). You report all income on your personal 1040. No separate return.
· Estate Tax: Assets in the trust are included in your gross estate. No immediate tax due (thanks to the $15M exemption in 2026 - 30M for a married couple).
· Probate: Avoids probate in your state. ✅

⚠️ For a Non-U.S. Person (Nonresident Alien) – This is where traps hide.

· U.S. Situs Assets: If the trust holds U.S. real estate, stocks of U.S. corps, or other U.S. situs assets, you have a problem.
· The "Foreign Trust" Trap: If the grantor is a foreign person, the trust is almost always a Foreign Trust under IRC § 7701. That triggers:
· Complex reporting: Form 3520 & 3520-A -Annual (severe penalties: 35% of assets for late filing).
· Deemed Distributions: U.S. beneficiaries receiving distributions face a "throwback tax" (interest charges on deferred tax).
· Estate Tax Trap: Unlike a U.S. person, a foreign person only gets a $60,000 estate tax exemption. A revocable trust does not fix this – the assets are still fully exposed to U.S. estate tax (26-40%).

The Takeaway for Cross-Border Individuals and Families:

· U.S. person in U.S.? A revocable living trust is fine for probate avoidance (just remember it’s not an asset protection tool).
· Foreign person, or U.S. person planning to move out of the U.S. forever or giving up U.S. citizenship? DO NOT use a standard U.S. revocable living trust for U.S. assets without analyzing the Foreign Trust reporting and the paltry $60k exemption. You likely need a different structure.

Final pro tip: A U.S. revocable trust is a "disregarded" entity for U.S. persons, but it's a "reporting nightmare" for foreign persons or U.S. persons with foreign trusts.

Need to plan for cross-border wealth? Contact us at Avara Law, LLC

04/16/2026

📅✈️💸 | Expat Tax Deadlines | 📅✈️💸

Yesterday was Tax Day.

For most Americans, April 15 came with a flurry of last-minute filings, frantic TurboTax sessions, and the occasional glass of wine.

But if you are living abroad, April 15 is not the day to panic.

April 15 - U.S. Tax Day ⏰🇺🇸
June 15 - Automatic 2 month extension *only for expats ✅🗓️
October 15 - on Form 4868 filed by original due date 📄➡️🗓️
December 15 - discretionary upon request *expats only🌏⏳
following January - for some, with Form 2350 filed *expats only✈️

But remember: Filing ≠ Paying - if you owe, the IRS wants your money by April 15! ⚠️💰💸

So know your dates 📝👀✅
Contact us with questions 👇📞🔗
P.S. Share with friends 📤👥🙏

04/13/2026

Ladies on the links - 2026 Maui edition. 🌺Golfing in Maui with women who've mastered the art of an integrated life: worked hard, raised families, built careers. Now? They birdie and laugh (and work even harder!) I'm incredibly lucky to be their rookie. ⛳🌊

My biggest takeaway - great work cannot exist without great living. Best plans are lived first, written second.🌴⚖️🏖️

04/13/2026

We spend so much time planning the future that we forget to seize the moment in peace. 🌞🌴

My work doesn't stop at the water's edge - it just learns to breathe differently, showing up with rest, waves, sand, and movements. Integrated life > work-life balance. 🌊🌺⚖️

12/31/2025

Happy New Year's Eve! 🎉 Wishing everyone a joyful, safe celebration as we say goodbye to the past year and welcome the new one with hope and excitement. 🍾 ✨

May your night be filled with laughter, love, and cherished moments with those who matter most. ❤️ As we step into a fresh year, remember that planning ahead brings peace of mind for all that’s to come. Here’s to a bright and prosperous new year for you and yours! 🎆 🥂

12/30/2025

Planning for retirement is about more than just securing your future—it’s also about protecting your loved ones with your estate plan. 📜 ✨ Here are 6 simple steps to guide you in building a retirement plan that will benefit those who matter most:

1️⃣ Assess Your Assets: Review income, savings, investments, and retirement accounts to understand your financial position.

2️⃣ Set Retirement Goals: Define your retirement timeline, lifestyle goals, and those you want to provide for in your estate plan to estimate your savings needs.

3️⃣ Seek Professional Guidance: Work with trusted professionals to create a well-rounded plan.

4️⃣ Organize Important Documents: Make sure your will, trust, deeds, life insurance policies, and other key documents are all in one place and that a trusted person is aware of their location.

5️⃣ Name Key Professionals: Ensure your team, including an estate planning attorney, financial advisor, and CPA, is named for those you leave behind.

6️⃣ Review and Adjust Regularly: Periodically update your plan to stay aligned with life changes, market conditions, or new goals.

Each step helps secure not just your future, but the future of those who will benefit from your estate plan. ❤️

12/30/2025

As we step into the new year, have you stopped to consider what your word will be for 2026? 🌟 Use our word search puzzle to find inspiration for a word that will set the tone for your year ahead! For us here at Avara Law, we’ve chosen the word *peace* as our goal is to bring peace of mind to as many families as possible through thoughtful, comprehensive estate planning. 🕊️ 💼 ⚖️

Let us know what word you find, and may it guide you through a meaningful and fulfilling year! ✨

12/29/2025

It's December 29th. If your year-end tax checklist currently reads 100% ✔️, please allow me to suggest one more powerful, often-overlooked Maryland-specific box you can still check: the Community Investment Tax Credit (CITC).

Maryland state is essentially saying, "we'll match 50% of your charitable contribution directly against your tax bill."

*𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗮 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿-𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗮𝘅 𝗚𝗲𝗺*
1️⃣Donate ($500+) to a pre-approved Maryland CDI organizations;
2️⃣Get a certificate for 50% of your donation as a tax credit;
3️⃣Claim it on your tax return to slash your Maryland state income tax (bonus for itemizers = it also reduces your federal tax!)

But to get the benefit:
⚠️The donation must be made by 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟯𝟭𝘀𝘁
⚠️Credits are awarded by first-come first-served basis
⚠️You must secure the credit certificate from the donee organization- can't claim the Maryland tax credit without confirming it's available!

The donation directly invests back into Maryland communities!

Wishing everyone a peaceful and prosperous close to the year.🎉🎈🎊

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Address

8115 Maple Lawn Boulevard
Fulton, MD
20759

Opening Hours

Monday	8:30am - 5:30pm
Tuesday	8:30am - 5:30pm
Wednesday	8:30am - 5:30pm
Thursday	8:30am - 5:30pm

Telephone

+12406300686

Website

https://avaralaw.com/

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