Estate Planning and Long-Term Care Planning During the Holidays

While most people DO get together with their families for at least one of the upcoming holidays, it is rare that the PLANNED discussion involves estate or long-term care planning. However, I have found in my years of practice, that while these discussions are not usually planned, they often occur nonetheless, rather spontaneously. There are…

What Happens if I Die without a Will in North Carolina? Intestacy and the Need for NC Estate Planning

It is a common misconception that if a resident of North Carolina dies without a Will, the resident’s assets will be taken by the State of North Carolina. While there IS such a thing as the State taking unclaimed assets from a deceased person’s estate (“escheat”), it rarely ever happens. Intestate vs. Testate in NC Individuals…

Do I NEED a Revocable Living Trust?

Many of my clients have heard national financial gurus like Suze Orman emphasize that a Revocable Livings Trust (or RLT, for short) is an essential part of ANY complete Estate Plan.  Well, that is not quite true.  When clients ask me whether they NEED an RLT, my lawyerly response is, of course, “it depends.” Trusts,…