Who Will Make Medical Decisions for You if You Can’t?
A Health Care Power of Attorney and an Advance Directive for a Natural Death, also known as a living will, are written documents that ensure that an agent can make health care decisions on your behalf, even if you are incapacitated or otherwise unable to communicate for yourself. This combination of these legal documents and…
Read MoreGuardianship Disputes: What Decisions Can the Court Make?
When the court appoints a guardian, disputes can arise between the ward, the guardian, friends, or family members. If you disagree about who the guardian should be or if a guardian is necessary in the first place, having a lawyer on your side can help you navigate the guardianship petition or appointment. Why Would a…
Read MoreLiving Trusts and Taxes: What You Need to Know and How to Properly Prepare
If you’re considering creating a living trust to avoid probate, you should understand the tax consequences of these trusts. Read on to learn what you need to know about taxes on living trusts, then contact our the Trusts and Estates Law Group to schedule a consultation. What Is a Living Trust? A living trust or…
Read MoreWhat You Need to Know About Irrevocable Trusts in North Carolina
Irrevocable trusts offer some benefits that revocable “living” trusts do not. But those benefits come at a cost. Before creating any type of irrevocable trust in North Carolina, you need to be aware of certain factors. Be Sure You Understand the Terms There’s a reason most people work with an experienced attorney when creating an…
Read MoreEstate Planning in the Digital Age: Are You Fully Prepared?
Chances are that you have more digital assets now than you did when you created your estate plan—even if it was only a year ago. We are all acquiring new digital assets at an astonishing rate. Do you know what will happen to those assets if you become incapacitated? What will happen after your death?…
Read MoreThe Benefits of the Three-Legged Stool Approach to Estate Planning
Generations of retirees have relied on the well-known three-legged stool model of estate planning. Employee pensions, personal savings, and Social Security formed three stable legs that propped up a secure retirement plan. Fast forward to today, when most companies have phased out pensions and the future of Social Security isn’t looking so secure anymore. How do…
Read MoreWhat is Probate Administration and How Does It Work?
After someone dies, the legal process begins to substantiate their will and determine who receives the assets of the deceased person’s estate. In many cases, the court must appoint a representative for the deceased person to gather the deceased person’s assets, pay debts and handle the distribution of property to the heirs. The court-supervised administration…
Read MoreSecure Your Loved One’s Future With Long Term Care Crisis Planning
When we hear the word “crisis,” we think of disasters or calamities of epic proportions. That is where many Americans find themselves when they try to stay afloat financially while dealing with the high costs of a family member needing long-term care. Many people who become disabled simply do not have the resources to pay…
Read MoreUnderstanding Trust Administration and How We Can Help
An estate’s trustee must juggle an extensive list of responsibilities to provide closure to beneficiaries. In this article, we discuss the roles and responsibilities involved in Trust Administration and how we can help. What Is Trust Administration? Trust administration can be overly complicated if you don’t have proper assistance. Trust administration typically encompasses distributing the…
Read MoreWhat are the Alternatives to Guardianship?
If you are considering the possibility of pursuing guardianship for a loved one, there are a few alternatives that can be considered first before taking such drastic measures. Although circumstances are never the same, some of these alternatives can still prove beneficial even if it is just to allow the future guardian to become more…
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