High Point Estate Planning

Find the right Wills & Trusts attorney in High Point, NC

"Estate planning" in High Point refers to the decisions a person makes concerning what is to be done with their assets after their death, and the procedure of implementing those wishes.

You will usually need to seek the help of a professional with legal and/or financial expertise when in the process of estate planning. Simple mistakes in an estate plan can cause significant problems, including legal and personal conflicts between your survivors.

In addition to post-death decisions, estate planning also concerns issues that might affect you during your life, such as granting power of attorney to a family member or trusted friend in case you become unable to make your own decisions regarding your finances or medical care. Additionally, effective estate planning can minimize the impact that estate taxes and court fees will have on your final disposition to your loved ones.

If you want to maximize the odds that your wishes will be followed after your death, you should do everything you can to make them legally binding. While this is not always possible, a High Point attorney will be able to make sure that, where it is permitted, it is done.

Common Features of High Point Estates

Will: This is the centerpiece of most estate plans. A will is a document written by a person (the "testator"), normally with the help of a lawyer, which says what is to be done with their property after they die. Most provisions in a will are legally binding, to the extent that ownership of the property legally passes to the named beneficiary. Nonetheless, a will cannot compel a person to do anything against their wishes (though it can certainly state your preferences on the matter, phrasing them as requests).

Living Will: This is a document which articulates your wishes regarding your medical care, to give instructions to your family and doctors in the event that you become incapacitated. While really consulting it will hopefully never be necessary, one never knows - unexpected illnesses and injuries can happen to anyone, at any time. While making a living will might require a person to acknowledge the existence of some unpleasant possibilities, it can end up saving their loved ones a great deal of grief and uncertainty.

Power of Attorney: What if you become incapacitated, and can't make your own decisions? It would be nice if somebody knew what you would want in a given situation, and, on top of that, had the legal authority to make that decision for you. Power of attorney lets you do clearly that, granting a person of your choice the ability to make certain decisions for you, in case you, for whatever reason, can't (you can, of course, control the scope of power that you grant).

Funeral Arrangements: Whatever your preference on this matter (if you have a preference) you should make it known to your family both verbally and in writing. If you have very particular wishes regarding the final disposition of your mortal remains, you should not put those instructions in your will. Or, if you do, you should also put them somewhere else. Wills are usually not read for quite some time after a person dies, and the funeral is normally long over by then, so it will be too late to follow your instructions.

Do I Need a High Point Estates Lawyer?

A poorly drafted or executed High Point estate plan can have major negative consequences. For instance, it might be confusing to the people who are most directly affected by it. This confusion can commonly lead to costly litigation. For that reason, the guidance of an accomplished estate planning attorney can be invaluable.

Talk to a Wills, Trusts & Estates Law Attorney now!

Life in High Point

The City of High Point extends into Guilford, Davidson, Randolph, and Forsyth Counties and plays host to 102,000 North Carolina residents making it the eighth largest municipality in the state. You probably know High Point as the "Furniture and Hosiery Capital of the World" due to it's many manufacturing plants that churn out textiles, busses and of course furniture. The population nearly doubles each time the High Point Market opens with over 100,000 vendors and buyers from around the world flocking to the largest furnishings trade show in the world covering 11.5 million square feet.

High Point also plays host to a number of other interesting sites that attract visitors and citizens alike. The Angela Peterson Doll and Miniature Museum is one of the south's largest doll and miniature museums. The Bernice Bienenstock Furniture Library retains the world's largest collection of books on the furniture and interior design, a Mecca for industry professionals. There are a number of lawyers in the town too. High Point lawyers are well versed in a variety of cases both local and statewide. The city is not all business, it also has a number of outstanding parks and recreational areas like High Point City Lake Park which is a recreation and amusement park offering boating, picnic areas, fishing, miniature gold, a water park, and the largest outdoor swimming pool in North Carolina.   

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