Nobody likes to think about what will happen after they pass away, but it is important to plan ahead for the eventuality. Failing to determine how you want your property to be distributed and who you want to administer it can lead to unneeded stress for your loved ones and a final outcome that serves no one’s best interests.
Your desires and life goals do not fit in the confines of a rigid box. It is therefore unwise to limit your estate planning solutions to a one-size-fits-all approach. We will comprehensively assess your wishes and fears to draft a customized plan that meets your needs. You can also rely on our team to keep in touch with you to ensure your plan works as intended.
A Raleigh estate planning lawyer could examine your situation and provide customized advice about the best course of action to take for your unique needs. In addition to ensuring compliance with state law, a qualified trusts and estates attorney could also help you organize your estate in a way that minimizes tax liabilities and makes things easy for your family after you’re gone.
A will generally serves as the centerpiece to any estate planning process, as it communicates your desires for what should be done with your estate after you pass away. While holographic and nuncupative wills—handwritten and oral wills, respectively—can be valid under rare circumstances, the best course of action is to draft a written will with the help from an estate planning legal advisor and sign it in the presence of attesting witnesses and a notary.
A dedicated legal advisor could help with both the drafting and enforcement of a will, including the selection of an executor, the naming of beneficiaries, and even modifying an existing document to reflect changing circumstances. We could also guide the executor on their responsibilities for carrying out a decedent’s last wishes and handling their financial affairs.
Finally, a legal professional could help ensure a will is clear and simplify the probate process. Probate is the court procedure through which a deceased person’s assets are divided amongst heirs and beneficiaries. Certain types of assets and property must go through probate whether an enforceable will exists or not, but a thorough last will and testament generally makes the process go much quicker and smoother.
For those seeking to plan ahead for the future of their assets and property, a will is not the only option. For example, in addition or as an alternative to a will, an estate planning legal professional could help a Raleigh resident set up a trust for certain assets to protect them from tax liability or exempt them from division via probate.
We could also provide guidance and support through the process of setting up or seeking a durable power of attorney, in the event an adult is unable to make estate-planning decisions due to illness or declining health. Likewise, legal counsel could help file a petition for guardianship over an incapacitated or incompetent adult or, conversely, help a respondent contest such a petition.
Our team can offer the following tools and strategies to help plan your estate:
Planning for a child with special needs, or for future long-term care needs, demands a uniquely tailored strategy for your family. Our firm has the skill and experience to create your protective plan, and a dedicated Outreach Coordinator to connect you with other local resource providers. We can also help executors and administrators navigate the complexities of the estate administration process.
The term estate planning covers a broad spectrum of legal processes and documentary procedures related to end-of-life planning, all of which can be challenging to navigate alone if you have little experience with the legal system.
To ensure your future financial interests are secure and your beneficiaries will be looked after following your death, work with a seasoned legal professional. Once retained, a Raleigh estate planning lawyer could work tirelessly to help you organize your assets and plan effectively for the future. Call today to schedule a consultation.