Often times Life Insurance can add more value to an Estate Plan than you think. If the estate is small, Life Insurance can provide significant liquid assets at a relatively low cost. This often times is a strategy used to provide a guaranteed specific amount of assets for children.
Category Archives: Uncategorized
February 21, 2010
Estate Planning and after-born children
If you are a young couple still planning on growing your family, do not let that be the reason that holds you back from having an estate plan today. The Estate Plans drafted for my clients include a simple statement that includes any after-born children. What this means is, that if you have two [...]
January 19, 2010
3 Common Myths About North Carolina Estate Planning
There are many misconceptions about North Carolina estate planning and what it entails. You should be building your estate plan with the best interests of your family in mind. Sound legal advice should guide you with regards to the estate plan that is best for you, not myths and misunderstandings.
I have listed 3 of the [...]
November 6, 2009
North Carolina Probate Administration
So what is probate anyway?
In a nutshell, probate is a legal process that takes place after someone dies. Here are some common issues that I have seen come up in probate administration:
-proving in court that a deceased person’s will is valid
-identifying and inventorying the deceased person’s property
-paying debts and taxes, and
-distributing the remaining property [...]
November 4, 2009
Advanced Medical Directives: The Lessons Of Terri Schiavo
The Terri Schiavo case involved a seven-year long legal effort by Michael Schiavo to have his wife, Terri Schiavo, who was diagnosed as being in a persistent vegetative state (PVS) for several years, disconnected from life support.
Michael, as Terri’s guardian, had entered a do not resuscitate order for her but was convinced by [...]
November 2, 2009
7 Steps To A Special Needs Estate Plan
Caring for children with special needs presents daily challenges which make it difficult to do much in the way of planning or preparing for the future. However, parents of special needs children need to pause to consider what may happen to their special-needs child if something should happen to them. With increasing life spans among [...]
November 2, 2009
Two Great Ways To Protect Your Kids In Case Of Emergency
The fall is a busy time for planning and preparation. It’s also an important time to safeguard your children in the event of an emergency. As both a mom, and an estate planning attorney, I have seen the importance of having a plan in place for emergency situations.
Parents are used to filling out emergency contact [...]
October 26, 2009
North Carolina Wills: Information From The North Carolina Court System
While most people have heard the term “will” used at some point in their lives, it is worth taking a moment to discuss just what exactly a will is, and why it is something worth having.
According to the North Carolina Court System Website:
“A will is a written document in which you direct who [...]
August 17, 2009
It is a No Brainer!
I wanted to comment on a phone call I received the other day. I received a call from a married mom with two minor children. Both parents work full time and drive to and from work. She and her husband currently did not have any Estate Planning in place. They both had life insurance policies [...]
August 11, 2009
Benefits for Surviving Spouse
If you are a surviving spouse and need some assistance on where to start and what to do regarding claiming spousal benefits, you may want to consider visiting http://www.aarp.org/family/lifeafterloss/articles/final_details_claiming_benefits.html and reading the article “Final Details: Claiming Benefits” compiled by AARP. It is a good start and should help alleviate a few obstacles or at the [...]
