Estate Planning
Tips for Creating an Estate Plan that Benefits a Child with Special Needs
Establishing an estate plan that provides for your family after you are gone is a gift to the ones you love. If a special needs child is among your loved ones, there are specific steps you can take to ensure their additional financial and care needs are addressed. The Trusts and Estates Law Group, has…
Read MoreDying Without a Will — NC Intestate Chart
Dying Without a Will in North Carolina In North Carolina, when you die without a will, it is known as having a dying “intestate”, meaning that a local probate court will appoint an administrator to distribute your assets according to the requirements of North Carolina probate law. They must follow state intestacy laws that try to…
Read MoreAttorney Andrew Cobin Interviewed on WPTF
Attorney Andrew J. Cobin, a partner at the Trusts and Estates Law Group, recently appeared on a segment of WPTF’s Triangle Afternoon News program to answer questions about wills and estate planning with radio hosts Rick and Donna Martinez. He discussed some of the basics of planning for the various phases of life. Andrew Cobin…
Read MoreHow to Handle Estate Planning Amid Family Friction
Often the biggest obstacle to estate planning revolves around family dynamics. How parents, children, siblings and others interact with one another can guide or derail a plan for efficiently transferring assets from one generation to the next. The start of the estate planning process can stir up family friction if discussions of inheritance begin and some…
Read MoreWhere to Safely Store Your Estate Planning Documents
Your estate planning documents — wills, health-care directives, powers of attorney, trusts — are essential records that explain your end-of-life wishes and desires. Therefore, these documents must be kept in a safe location until they are needed. They are only valuable to you and your loved ones if the documents can be reviewed and followed when…
Read MoreTrusts and Estates Law Group Hosts “What Does Retirement Look Like For You?” Event in Raleigh, NC
the Trusts and Estates Law Group recently hosted a “What Does Retirement Look Like For You?” event in Raleigh, NC. Estate planning lawyer Andrew Cobin organized the Trusts and Estates Law Group retirement event, which was held on August 14th. He welcomed guests to a retirement discussion focusing on three topics: The challenges and new…
Read MoreTrusts and Estates Law Group Provides Estate Planning Needs Assessment Tool on Website
The estate planning attorneys at the Trusts and Estates Law Group offer an easy-to-use online calculator to assess your estate planning needs. Estate planning is about planning for the orderly distribution of your assets while minimizing estate and income taxes. Having a well-structured estate plan ensures that your wishes are carried out after a disability…
Read MoreSame-Sex Couples Need Estate Planning, Too
Since same-sex marriage became legal throughout the United States in 2015 with the Supreme Court’s decision in Obergefell v. Hodge, many same-sex couples have realized that they can benefit from estate planning. Making decisions about the disposition of your accumulated wealth and property, providing power of attorney for critical decisions, and stating end-of-life health care…
Read MoreUpdate Your Estate Plan Annually
As your life changes, so should your estate plan. At the Trusts and Estates Law Group, we advise family planning clients to revisit their estate plan every year to ensure that life has not passed it by. Whether you have experienced a significant life event such as the birth of a baby, change of marital…
Read MoreUnmarried Couples and Estate Planning: Does It Make Sense?
Sometimes we are asked whether a couple that lives together — an unmarried couple — needs estate planning. Our answer is an emphatic “Yes.” There are protections married couples have that unmarried couples do not, which makes estate planning more important in many ways for unmarried couples. Whether they are a younger couple not ready…
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