Estate Planning and Probate Administration

Preparing an estate plan is critical to safeguard the financial well-being and future of your family.  Crafting a well thought out will or a trust instrument that properly passes your legacy estate items to your loved ones gives you peace of mind, especially when the absence of such documents allows the State of North Carolina to dictate by statute those persons who will receive your estate, and in what proportions.

It is also important to consider the benefits of life insurance, retirement account beneficiary designations, and the manner in which bank accounts may be owned together with others, which might allow you to pass wealth to your loved ones outside of the probate process.  Conversely, these issues, when not reviewed and given frequent consideration, can result in undesired results.

• Drafting a Last Will and Testament;
• Preparing a Living Revocable Trust;
• Preparing a Will which contains a Testamentary Trust for the care of your spouse or minor children;
• Drafting a Healthcare Power of Attorney;
• Drafting a Living Will or “Declaration of a Desire for a Natural Death”;
• Drafting a Durable Power of Attorney;
• Representing the Personal Representative in navigating the probate process in the courts and the proper administration of a decedent’s estate;