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What Is a Pour-Over Will? A Complete Guide for NC & SC Families Estate planning can feel complicated, but understanding your options, including living trusts and irrevocable trusts, is the first step to securing your family’s future and ensuring the distribution of your estate according to state law. In North Carolina and South Carolina, tools […]

Pet Trusts in North Carolina: How to Protect Your Pets After You’re Gone You’ve planned for your kids, but have you considered estate planning for pets as well? You’ve planned for your spouse, but have you considered creating a pet trust for your beloved animal? But what about your dog and their needs as a […]

North Carolina Intestate Succession: What Happens When You Die Without a Will Dying without a will isn’t just an inconvenience — it hands control of everything you’ve built to a set of default rules written by the state of North Carolina. Those rules may determine who inherits and may have nothing to do with what […]

Special Needs Trust in North Carolina: Protecting Your Loved One Without Losing Benefits If you have a child, sibling, or other family member with a disability, you already know how much work goes into making sure they’re taken care of in accordance with North Carolina estate planning guidelines. But here’s something that trips up a […]

The Most Common Living Trust Mistake in North Carolina You paid an attorney to draft a living trust. You signed it. You filed it away. You feel like your estate is handled. It might not be. Attorney-reviewed: Reviewed by Ryan P. Duffy, a North Carolina and South Carolina estate planning attorney. Last reviewed: May 25, […]

Will vs. Living Trust in North Carolina: Which Do You Need? If you’re starting your estate plan, you’ve probably heard the question a dozen times: should I get a will or a living trust? The honest answer is — it depends. Both documents are critical estate planning tools, but they serve different purposes and fit […]

As a parent, you want to make sure your children are safe and financially secure no matter what happens. But have you taken the necessary steps to ensure they are protected if the unexpected occurs? Careful planning is crucial, and having the right estate plan in place can make all the difference. A trust allows […]

If you die without last will and testament in North Carolina, state law—not your personal wishes—determines who receives your property and possessions. Rather than allowing you to leave their property to the people you choose, the court follows a rigid set of intestate succession rules laid out in the North Carolina General Statutes. Understanding how […]

Creating a will is an essential part of the estate planning process, ensuring your assets are distributed according to your wishes instead of falling under intestate succession laws. If you live in North Carolina, you may wonder whether a will needs to be notarized to be valid. The short answer is no—notarization is not required. […]