Generally speaking, there are three types of small estates. They’re generally called the “spousal allowance” (formal name – “petition for year’s allowance”), the “collection by affidavit” (formal name – “affidavit for collection of personal property”), and then there’s “summary administration”. Each of those allows for essentially an expedited probate process or a non-probate based estate resolution. They apply in different…

Separate property, marital property, community property, joint with rights of survivorship, primary beneficiary, transfer on death: What’s it all mean? Can spouses make decisions for each other? What about incapacity and intestacy? Where to begin. Spousal ownership, rights, and succession depend on many different elements of ownership and legal structures, but marital rights generally fall into two main categories: 1)…

The house: likely one of your most valuable (monetary) assets, and certainly the one you’ve spent the most time (and elbow grease) enjoying and improving. Homes are often the asset that families care about the most, but they’re also the asset that most misunderstood when it comes to estate planning. Clients will often ask: “What happens to the house when…

“Why do I need a North Carolina will?” – a common question I receive in social and on the internet. “But my situation is really simple – do I really need a will?” Regardless of your background, or your current financial and familial situations, everyone can benefit from having a valid Last Will & Testament (“Will”) in place. Below is a non-exhaustive…

A common question that comes up during consultations, networking meetings, seminars, estate plan reviews, or sometimes at a neighborhood gathering is: “Do I need a will or a trust?” When making the decision of whether to create a plan using a North Carolina will or trust, there are really six (6) main issues to consider. To be clear, everyone needs…