Welcome to ncestateattorney.com.  Often we think of estate planning as something we do in preparation for death. Since we do not plan to die in the near future, we put off our estate planning to address more immediate concerns. While, estate planning does plan for inevitable death, estate planning also plans for life. Estate planning, when done properly, plans not only for the lives of our loved ones, but also plans for our life in the event of incompetence or a terminal illness.

We believe in preparing a complete estate plan for each of our clients. We prepare a set of documents that compliment each other and work together to provide a comprehensive estate plan. We recommend the following estate planning documents: Durable Power of Attorney, Pour-over Will, Living Will (often called a Declaration of a Desire for a Natural Death), a Health Care Power of Attorney and a Revocable Trust. For clients who prefer a simple Will, after we explain the benefits of trust planning, we prepare a Will, Durable Power of Attorney, Health Care Power of Attorney and Living Will. Both of these alternatives provide the client with an estate plan that covers their needs in case of a serious illness and makes plans upon death to transfer the remaining assets to the client's loved ones and/or charities. Remember, if you do not plan your estate, the State of North Carolina (or the state of residency) has prepared an estate plan for you and you might not care for it.

More discussion on estate planning can be found in our sections on avoiding probate through Revocable Trusts ("Living Trusts"), "Probate - Understanding Living Trusts", "How you can Avoid Probate, Save Taxes and More", "What's so bad about Probate", "Doesn't Joint Ownership Avoid Probate?", "Probate - if something happens to me, who has control?," "Probate - how can a living trust save on estate taxes?" We can help you complete your estate planning in order to ensure that your wishes are carried out in the event on an incapacity or death.

This estate planning information is maintained by Dan Brady, Attorney and Certified Public Accountant, located in Raleigh, North Carolina.  Dan is a partner in the firm of Nicholls & Crampton, P.A.

 

The Firm's active practice areas include Corporate and Business Law and Taxation, Trusts and Estate Planning, Business Bankruptcy Practice, Personal Injury Litigation, Real Estate, Family Law and Divorce, Criminal Defense, Billing, and Staff Confidentiality.

 

Please visit our site to learn more about North Carolina probate and other areas of law in which we may be able to assist you in the management of your estate and legal affairs.