Everyone knows that retirement planning is important; however, people are often unsure exactly when they need to start planning for their retirement. If you are still relatively young, and just starting out in your career, retirement planning is probably the last thing on your mind. In fact, you likely think you are too young to even start thinking about your retirement. The truth, … read more
North Carolina Woman Guilty of Elder Abuse after Spending Victim’s Life Savings
Elder abuse and neglect is a growing problem in the United States. If you have an elderly loved one who could be vulnerable to abuse or neglect, a recent news story illustrates how easily your loved one could become an elder abuse victim. In a shockingly short period of time, a North Carolina woman drained an elderly man of his life savings. The Story According to news reports, … read more
Will I Have to Pay a North Carolina Inheritance Tax?
If you recently lost a family member or close loved one you are undoubtedly dealing with a number of strong emotions, including grief. Thinking about the legal and practical ramifications of your loved one’s death may be difficult under the circumstances; however, if you are a beneficiary or heir of the estate you will need to set aside your emotions long enough to focus on how your … read more
5 Uncomfortable Questions Your Estate Lawyer Might Ask You
Estate planning is a highly personal, and often sensitive, endeavor. The primary goal of your estate plan, after all, is to protect you, your assets, and your loved ones. Ideally, you will form a lifelong relationship with your estate planning attorney, making it much more likely that your estate plan will succeed at its intended goals. Having an ongoing relationship with your estate … read more
Top 5 Signs It Is Time to Consider Adult Guardianship
For an adult child, one of the most heart wrenching things you will ever have to go through is watching your parent’s mental and physical health deteriorate. The strong and wise parent who taught you everything you know and protected you when you were a child has become vulnerable and incapable of caring for himself/herself. This can be emotionally traumatic for an adult child; however, … read more
When Should I Start Retirement Planning?
If you are still in your early 20s, the thought of retirement planning may not even have occurred to you yet – but it should. You will eventually start wondering when you should start retirement planning. The simple answer to that questions is – as soon as you can. Although you may not be thinking about, much less focusing on, your retirement years while still in your 20s, the reality is … read more
Aren’t DIY Wills Better than Not Having a Will?
Like most people, you likely understand the importance of having at least a basic estate plan in place. For most people, that means executing a Last Will and Testament, at a bare minimum. For a relatively small estate, a Will is capable of directing the distribution of all estate assets after your death. Thanks to the internet, it is now possible to find all types of “Do-It-Yourself” … read more
Can a Special Needs Trust Protect My Child’s Inheritance?
As the parent of a child with special needs, you are likely aware of the heightened importance of having a well thought out estate plan in place. Every parent wants to make sure they leave something behind for their children after they are gone; however, for the parent of a child with special needs, the desire to leave behind sufficient assets to help with the child’s care and … read more
What Is a Spendthrift Trust?
If you are like most people, the primary purpose of creating your estate plan is to ensure that your assets are passed down to children, grandchildren, and/or other loved ones to be used for their support and maintenance after you are gone. You worked hard and saved wisely throughout the course of your lifetime, however, and do not want to see those assets wasted. This can create a … read more
When There Is a Will, What Is the Probate Process?
Like many people, you have likely heard of probate; however, you may have only a vague idea of what happens during the probate of an estate. While you may never need to know about other areas of the law, it is important that you learn more than the basics about the area of probate law because you may one day be involved in the probate of a loved one’s estate. Even if you manage to avoid … read more
