To help with your writing efforts, here’s what people are looking for in Personal Law online. Trending topics culled from JD Supra, search analytics, social media conversations, and other sources:
Consider writing about:
Private placement life insurance; what it consists of; who qualifies for it or whom it is best suited for; related tax advantages; potential downsides for individuals considering this form of insurance; concerns raised by legislators or others over private placement life insurance’s impacts.
Consider writing about:
Last minute advice for individual taxpayers who have not yet filed; steps to reduce tax liabilities; tips for deducting such items as charitable donations, medical expenses, job search costs, moving-related expenses, and other eligible expenses; how to maximize the tax benefits of retirement accounts; how to get a filing extension; how to spread out payments to the IRS.
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Tax tips for expats. Common tax questions, misunderstandings, or blind spots that may arise for U.S. citizens when living or working outside the United States; related pointers involving tax benefits, credits, obligations, or potential pitfalls; relevant best practices, or related pointers on how to simplify one’s tax reporting process or perhaps minimize one’s tax bill after relocating to another country, whether full-time or part-time.
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AI tools as an aide in preparing or reviewing tax returns. Are any current-day AI tools up to these tasks? What should individuals or businesses know before incorporating AI technology into their tax season routine? What are the potential pitfalls to look out for? And if someone makes a tax error due (to whatever extent) to an AI resource’s performance, will blaming the error on AI cut any ice with tax authorities?
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Substitute tax returns. What do these consist of, and what factors trigger the Internal Revenue Service’s decision to create and file one for a taxpayer? How does the IRS determine the details for a substitute filing? What are a taxpayer’s rights regarding such key points as being notified by the IRS of the existence of the substitute return and regarding the ability to contest the filing and the IRS’ related determination about tax owed? (Alternatively or additionally, consider exploring whether state tax authorities, or tax bodies in other countries, create similar substitute tax returns under certain conditions.)
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Family heirlooms and family conflicts or other issues that often arise regarding their ownership, custody, and transfer; tips regarding verbal vs. written communications on this matter; whether an estate plan by itself is sufficient to convey and protect one’s intentions regarding heirlooms; what to know about a personal property memorandum and its potential advantages or limitations.
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First Amendment rights in an era of hyper-partisan politics, an issue that has seen renewed attention lately due to viral videos of interactions at local government sessions or other public meetings. Consider writing a refresher on First Amendment rights, online or in person, or a piece exploring common misconceptions about when free speech rights do or do not apply. What should individuals know, and how can they best exercise their rights?
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Trespassing laws; how they are enforced; potential penalties for violating trespassing laws; when a political demonstration may give rise to trespassing allegations; individuals’ rights “versus” property owners’ or tenants’ rights; and perhaps a look at trespassing laws’ enforcement over the decades, especially as they pertain to racial profiling or other discriminatory actions.
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What someone should consider about the status and potential drawbacks of their digital history, whether in the context of changes in career or marital status, or over concerns about personal safety. How much digital information can someone realistically get deleted, whether on their own, or via the use of third-party tools, or perhaps by regulatory authorities in accordance with rights and protections that may exist under state, federal, or regional laws? What should someone consider before taking actions to erase as much of their digital footprint as possible?
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The so-called Department of Government Efficiency’s access to, and work with, government data; concerns being raised over the breadth of data types being accessed and by whom; litigation over DOGE’s actions; whether individuals have standing for lawsuits of their own over DOGE’s operations; what individuals might consider doing, in light of the current political upheaval, as regards their recordkeeping and the protection and integrity of their personal data, especially any relating to their financial status or financial futures.
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Personal privacy concerns amid sweeping changes being made or proposed by the second Trump administration; what individuals who are concerned about their privacy or safety should be considering regarding their online histories and activities, and their electronic devices, apps, and communication methods; related issues involving surveillance, warrants, arrests, and e-discovery; what political activists in particular may be able to learn from technological or legal strategies used by activists in other countries, especially during times of political conflict and concerns over personal safety or other risks.
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The SAVE Act; main focus of this piece of congressional legislation; how it could affect voting rights in the United States; practical takeaways for individuals vis a vis their current or outdated forms of identification and proof of citizenship; additional ways that individuals may be able to protect their voting rights.
Related information:
https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/house-bill-would-hurt-american-voters
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Trump administration actions or plans that stand to affect transgender rights; what individuals should know about the force of related Executive Orders and how they are implemented; practical information regarding personal identification documents, rights to serve in the military, and more; potential for confusion over state vs. federal laws and rights; grounds for legal challenges to the Trump administration’s actions.
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What happens when someone is arrested: what to say to police or other law enforcement officers; when it’s permitted to refuse police requests (and when it isn’t); how to invoke one’s right to remain silent; what to know about jurisdictional authority on the part of law enforcement officers; overview of the booking process and of individual rights when held by authorities; how Trump administration actions may be heightening risks for individuals as they pertain to interactions with law enforcement or government agents; how to report violations or police misconduct.
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The emancipation process as pursued by family members; circumstances under which emancipation rights are commonly invoked; the rights and obligations of the child and the parents in these types of situations; grounds for an emancipation request; necessary or recommended steps on the road to finalization; potential downsides to an emancipation; whether the emancipation process can be undone once completed; alternatives to emancipation; what else the involved parties should know before embarking on the emancipation process.
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A report released in December by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau involving student loans; alleged violations described in the report; regulatory action that has been taken, or may be on the horizon, against alleged violators; how lenders can maintain proper control over their practices to keep them compliant with the law; what student loan recipients can do if they suspect their rights have been violated or that they have been wronged in some manner.
Related information:
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A Kentucky federal judge’s recent ruling that blocks the Biden administration’s revised Title IX regulations; background on the revisions and Title IX’s history; grounds for the judge’s finding that the Biden administration’s changes were unconstitutional; where the ruling leaves Title IX, protections for students, and educational institutions’ compliance obligations.
Related information:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2025/01/09/biden-title-ix-rules-vacated/77580480007
https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/09/politics/title-ix-lgbtq-protections-ruling-kentucky/index.html
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Trends involving online harassment; most prevalent forms of cyber harassment; how individuals (or in the case of minors, their parents or guardians) may be able to prevent or minimize harms from online harassment; how evolving technology may be shaping harassment cases; difficulties in identifying and prosecuting online harassers; potential civil or criminal penalties for cyber harassment; any convictions or lawsuits worth knowing about.
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Trends involving the abandonment of infants in the United States; potential connection between these incidents and tightening restrictions on abortion access; legal penalties for abandonment; authorities’ role as regards an abandoned infant’s welfare; when an abandoned infant may be placed in foster care or permanent adoption; whether a birth parent may be able to re-establish parental rights over an abandoned infant; what to know about “safe surrender” laws or similar laws; how widespread these types of laws are; legal immunities that such laws provide to parents or other caretakers who surrender children; age limits or other limitations that may apply to safe surrender laws.
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The process for legally changing one’s name; applicable laws and procedures (in the state, country, or region of your choice); limitations on the right to change one’s name; key entities to notify of the change; important documents to produce or to retain; potential complications to be aware of, either generally or depending on a specific set of circumstances.
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Noteworthy rulings or legislation regarding the civil forfeiture process; how this process is commonly used, or abused; what to do when personal property and assets are seized by law enforcement under civil forfeiture laws; what can be taken and for what reasons, procedures for recovering seized property; how civil forfeiture differs from criminal forfeiture; potential conflicts between constitutional rights and forfeiture laws.
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How to assure oneself that a particular charity or other type of nonprofit organization is worthy of donating to; research tips or available resources for gauging an organization’s legitimacy, performance record, and success at maximizing the value of a donation’s dollar value; recordkeeping pointers, tax tips, and other related practical issues, both for oneself and possibly for the sake of one’s family or heirs.
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A law passed by Australia’s Parliament that seeks to prevent minors from going on social media until they reach age 16; rationale for the new limits; when they would go into effect; how the new restrictions would be enforced; whether this law marks a first; whether other countries are considering doing something similar; how the tech companies are responding; how minors or their parents, guardians, teachers, or other adults in their lives can help them navigate social media and minimize its risks; how lawsuits are trending against social media platforms over their impacts on minors.
Related information:
https://apnews.com/article/social-media-ban-australia-kids-4dda8d92bd4b896ff502482b6736ab24
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Political protesters’ rights to freedom of speech and assembly; precautions to take before participating in a political demonstration; the do’s and don’ts of recording police actions; what else to know about interacting with law enforcement during or after a protest; how individuals can best protect themselves while demonstrating; issues involving electronic devices, surveillance, and recorded activities; additional tips on personal safety; when protests are most likely to cross a legal line; whether states are increasingly restricting political protesters’ rights; whether the re-election of Donald Trump has ratcheted up the risks of participating in even peaceful demonstrations; how to prepare for the possibility of being arrested; actions and rights to keep in mind post-arrest.
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The legal rights of parties to human egg donations; legal protections and obligations that may apply to these types of agreements; important contract terms to cover; potential liability risks, common oversights, or other pitfalls that can arise in conjunction with egg donations; what else individuals should be aware of before entering into an egg donation agreement.
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How (and when) to challenge a will; common grounds for doing so; what constitutes undue influence; related points regarding notifications, timelines, legal rights, costs, and types of challenges. Consider whether to present a descriptive list of do’s and don’ts by itself, or whether to use a real-life case as an example of what to do, or as a cautionary tale illustrating what not to do.
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Planning for pets’ needs in the event of an owner’s illness, displacement, incapacitation, or death; how pet owners (or their relatives or caretakers) can prepare for these transitions and help ensure a continued happy life for beloved pets; how to establish trusts addressing pets’ needs; conversations and documentation to undertake in advance; anticipating potential challenges (whether by family members or by outside parties) to a pet trust’s terms; practical takeaways from any legal disputes involving trusts that have been set up for pets.
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Key points individuals need to address when living, and possibly working, as expats. What to know about any of the following issues: visas, allowable duration of residency, labor laws, pensions, taxes, employment rights, property ownership; other rights as a foreign resident; common pitfalls to avoid, tips for advance planning and research; how to have a safety net in place or how to create one after a move that doesn’t turn out as well as hoped. Also: How to fulfill overlapping obligations back in one’s home country, or how to safeguard rights and property back at home while living in another country.
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What to know when undertaking domestic or international travel with minors, whether family members or otherwise; potential legal issues involving minors; documentation that may need to be presented for international travel, especially in the case of divorced parents; additional issues involving travel industry safeguards related to the prevention of child sex trafficking and how those well-intentioned precautions may inadvertently snare innocent adults; how to resolve disputes with transit authorities over issues involving minors; remedies or compensation available to passengers who have experienced travel interruptions or additional costs due to conflicting or missing information from airlines or other travel industry companies regarding documentation needed for a minor child; additional tips regarding contractual obligations, waivers, and travel insurance.
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Issues for people interested in doing volunteer work, whether during the holidays or otherwise; how to vet organizations to volunteer for; insurance issues or potential liability issues for individuals; protection against harassment (especially in the case of volunteers who are minors) or unsafe or illegal activities, or warning signs to watch for; additional concerns involving minors’ safety and rights, and what their parents or guardians should be paying attention to, both before and during a volunteer commitment.