Charleston Estate Planning Attorney — Virtual Guidance for Lowcountry Families
Serving families in Charleston, Mount Pleasant, Summerville, North Charleston, James Island, and throughout Charleston County. Flat-fee virtual estate planning under South Carolina law.
Lowcountry Families: Protect What You’ve Built
Charleston is a city where history meets modern ambition — and where families take legacy seriously. Whether you live south of Broad, out in Mount Pleasant, or in one of Summerville’s growing neighborhoods, your estate plan should be as well-crafted as the life you’ve built here. We make it easy with virtual meetings, flat-fee pricing, and deep knowledge of SC estate law.
Charleston sits at the intersection of old wealth and new growth. Historic homes in the French Quarter, rental properties on Sullivan’s Island, family farmland in the Lowcountry, retirement accounts, and life insurance policies — a comprehensive estate plan has to account for all of it under South Carolina law. We help Charleston families sort through that complexity and build a plan that actually holds up when it matters.
South Carolina’s estate planning statutes have meaningful differences from neighboring states. Wills must be signed by two witnesses in addition to being notarized to be valid under SC law. Trusts and powers of attorney carry their own execution requirements. Getting these details right matters — a document that fails on a technicality can be as useless as no document at all. We draft everything to meet South Carolina’s specific standards, not a generic template.
Why Charleston families choose us:
- Virtual meetings from anywhere in the Lowcountry — no bridge traffic required
- Flat-fee pricing — your total cost is quoted before we start
- SC-compliant plans for historic property, coastal real estate, and multi-generational wealth
We serve clients throughout the Charleston metro — downtown Charleston, Mount Pleasant, James Island, West Ashley, Summerville, Goose Creek, North Charleston, and communities across the Sea Islands. Whether you’ve lived in the Lowcountry your whole life or recently relocated from out of state, we can build an estate plan that reflects South Carolina law and your specific family circumstances.
Our process is entirely virtual, which means you never have to leave your home to get a legally sound estate plan. We meet by Zoom, share documents securely, and coordinate electronic execution through DocuSign — which is fully valid under the South Carolina Uniform Electronic Transactions Act. Most clients complete the entire process in two to three weeks from the initial consultation to signed documents.
With personalized guidance from a local attorney licensed in North Carolina and South Carolina, your plan is designed to give you confidence and clarity for years to come.
⚖️ Core Services
Lowcountry Roots Deserve Lasting Protection
Charleston families often have complex estate planning needs — historic property, vacation rentals, family trusts, and beneficiaries spread across multiple states. We draft wills, create trusts, and structure your plan to handle the nuances of Lowcountry assets under South Carolina law.
A revocable living trust is one of the most powerful tools available to Lowcountry families. Unlike a will, a trust avoids South Carolina’s Probate Court process entirely — which means your family gets access to assets faster, without filing fees and without the public record that probate creates. For families with real estate in multiple counties or properties in both NC and SC, a trust is especially valuable because it eliminates the need for ancillary probate proceedings in each jurisdiction.
Coastal properties present unique planning challenges. If you own a home or investment property in the Charleston area, that asset doesn’t automatically pass under your will unless it’s titled correctly. We review how each asset is titled, advise on beneficiary designations, and make sure your estate plan and your asset ownership structure are aligned — so nothing falls through the cracks when your family needs it most.
Estate Planning
Charleston County Probate: Simpler Than You Think
South Carolina’s Probate Court handles estate administration, and Charleston County has its own. Whether you need to open an estate, qualify as personal representative, or navigate creditor claims, we guide you through the SC probate process with clarity and efficiency.
The Charleston County Probate Court handles estate administration for decedents who lived in Charleston County at the time of death. Under the South Carolina Probate Code (SC Code § 62), the process begins with filing a petition, inventorying assets, notifying creditors, and ultimately distributing property to heirs. For estates with a valid will, the executor named in the will takes on this role. Without a will, the court appoints an administrator — often a family member, but not necessarily the person you would have chosen.
South Carolina offers a simplified probate process for small estates — currently those with a gross value under $25,000 — which can significantly reduce the time and expense involved. For larger estates, a full formal probate proceeding is required, typically lasting six months to a year depending on the complexity of the estate and any creditor claims. We guide personal representatives through every step, whether the estate is straightforward or complicated by debts, disputes, or multi-state property.
ProbateFrom Downtown to the Islands — Protect Every Asset
Charleston property values have skyrocketed, and that means probate just got more expensive for your family. A revocable living trust keeps your real estate — whether it is a home downtown, a rental on James Island, or a place out on Sullivan’s Island — completely out of Charleston County probate. Your successor trustee handles the transfer privately, immediately, and exactly how you planned it. No court filing. No six-month wait. No public record of what you owned or who got it.
Trusts
A Medical Emergency Without a Plan Is Every Family’s Nightmare
Picture this: you are in the ER at MUSC and cannot communicate. Your spouse is in the waiting room with no legal authority to make your medical decisions or access your bank account. Without a healthcare directive and durable power of attorney, that is exactly what happens. These two documents are the most important — and most neglected — pieces of any estate plan. They take minutes to create and they prevent months of legal chaos.
In South Carolina, your healthcare directive documents include a Healthcare Power of Attorney and a Living Will (also called a Directive to Physicians). The HCPOA names the person who makes medical decisions on your behalf if you cannot. The Living Will specifies your wishes for end-of-life care — whether you want aggressive intervention, comfort measures only, or something in between. Both documents must be signed in front of two witnesses and a notary to be valid under SC law.
A durable financial power of attorney under SC law gives your agent broad authority to manage your finances during incapacity — paying bills, managing investments, handling real estate transactions, and filing taxes. Without one, your family may have to petition the Probate Court for a conservatorship just to keep your household running during a medical crisis. We draft these documents with the specificity SC law requires and the safeguards that protect you from abuse.
Ancillary DocumentsFrequently Asked Questions
Do you work with Charleston families virtually?
Yes. All consultations and document reviews happen through secure video meetings. You get the same personalized service without needing to drive downtown or across the bridges.
Where is the Charleston County Probate Court?
The Charleston County Probate Court is located at 4 Courthouse Square, Charleston, SC 29401.
Should I put my Charleston home in a trust?
It depends on your overall estate plan. Placing your home in a revocable living trust can help your family avoid probate and maintain privacy. During your consultation, we’ll review your full financial picture and help you decide if a trust makes sense.