Estate, Trust & Probate Blog

After having your first child, you begin to think of your future in new ways. You’re now suddenly worrying about creating a college fund for your child and protecting their financial stability for decades. With estate planning, you can ensure that your wealth goes where you desire, and you can create plans for many of life’s unpredictable developments.  At David E. Anderson, PLLC, we offer comprehensive estate planning for new parents, including basic document drafting, care directives, and more. Below, our team offers tips on beginning your estate planning journey.  1. Take a Full Inventory of Your Assets First Before…

According to the CDC, over one-fourth of American adults have disabilities. Many can continue to lead normal lives without having to rely on others for assistance. However, some face physical and/or mental limitations that require them to trust others to make financial and healthcare decisions on their behalf. If you fall into this category, consider appointing someone to serve as either your power of attorney agent or guardian. But before you do it, learn about the key differences between power of attorney vs. guardianship to see what sets them apart. What Is a Power of Attorney? A power of attorney, or a POA, is…

Do you have a loved one who recently passed away without a valid will? While this isn’t as uncommon as you might imagine, you will still want to look into hiring a probate attorney immediately. Your family might have to visit probate court to sort out the details, from your loved one’s outstanding debts to the distribution of their assets, and a probate law firm can take these difficult steps with them. Still, this isn’t the only time you should consider hiring a probate attorney. Bringing a will and trust lawyer on board can benefit your family in a big…

When you hear the term “estate plan,” you may believe that you don’t really need one. However, the majority of people have more assets than they think, and the estate planning process ensures those assets end up where they want them to go. Consequently, the majority of people need an estate plan. Because of the complexities that can occur with asset distribution, working with an estate planning attorney is the smartest option for creating this plan. This legal professional can find ways to help you reach your goals for the estate plan. Your estate planning attorney may even give you…

If you haven’t made a will yet, now is a great time. Without one, your assets could end up in the hands of someone you didn’t intend. A will lets you control which beneficiaries inherit your money and how much. Before racing off to make a will, you must understand what qualifies as a valid will in North Carolina. A Wilmington estate planning attorney explains will requirements in detail below. North Carolina Will Requirements North Carolina has several requirements for wills. If you fail to meet any of these requirements, your will won’t be valid. Age and Mental Capacity To…

You’ve found a DIY estate planning kit on the internet, so you decide to give it a shot. It’s free, and that certainly seems to beat paying a Wilmington estate planning attorney to do the job. Watch out, though; that kit might be free, but it can cost you down the road.  Read on to learn about the pitfalls you might run into if you opt to try estate planning lawyer-free. Why DIY Estate Planning Isn’t a Smart Move Estate planning is far more complex than you might think. It might work if you’re lucky, but if not, it could…

When it comes to end-of-life planning, there are understandably many emotions and there can be much stress involved. Dealing with state-specific laws and regulations around different types of documents can make the process even more distressing for many individuals. Let an experienced Wilmington estate planning lawyer confidently guide you through the process. The team at David E. Anderson, PLLC, is committed to helping you by providing you with high-quality care and knowledge throughout the estate planning process. Estates You may have heard people use the word “estate” when talking about end-of-life planning. Essentially, your “estate” refers to anything that you…

Ask almost any fellow adult, and they’ll likely tell you that they’re familiar with the term “estate planning.” If you inquire a bit further, they might even go as far as to tell you that they understand a will is a key component in an estate plan. However, they’re knowledge of this important area of the law may stop there. And, as for probate? You may find that very few understand very much about this process unless they’ve had first-hand experience navigating it on behalf of a deceased loved one.  Our team at David E. Anderson, PLLC want to help…

When you hear the word guardian, you probably think of the person who steps in for a parent when their parent is unable to be there for them. While this is certainly something you can address in your North Carolina will, the guardianship concept refers to something a bit different. A guardianship is a service provided to individuals who allege to be or are deemed incompetent by a judge. And, according to the North Carolina Judicial Branch, the guardian’s role is to serve as a “surrogate decision maker and advocate” for that person, referred to as a ward. Now that…