Raleigh Estate Planning

Find the right Wills & Trusts attorney in Raleigh, NC

"Estate planning" in Raleigh 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 frequently 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 egregious 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. Furthermore, effective estate planning can minimize the impact that estate taxes and court fees will have on your final disposition to your loved ones.

The last thing a person wants to think about is the possibility that, after their death, their survivors are fighting over some part of their estate plan that's ambiguous or otherwise contentious. If you want to keep this, or at least make it far less possible, you should have the help of a Raleigh attorney every step of the way.

Common Features of Raleigh Estates

Will: This is a legal document which transfers ownership of the testator's (the person making the will) property to named beneficiaries after the testator's death. The beneficiaries can be just about anyone the testator chooses, but smaller estates, usually only include family members, and maybe very close friends. If you want, you can place conditions on gifts (say, leaving a certain amount of money to your son, but only if he graduates college before he turns 25 - this is just an example). However, a will can't actually compel anyone to do anything, and some conditional gifts won't be enforced, typically because they involve an illegal act, or require a person to marry or refrain from marrying a specific person.

Living Will: This is a document which lays out instructions for your medical care, should you become so sick or badly injured that you are unable to express your wishes. It should state under what circumstances you want to remain on life support. A well-drafted living will can prevent you from being kept alive in a permanent vegetative state (if that is not what you want), while guaranteeing that you receive medical care as long as you have a chance at recovery.

Power of Attorney: Power of attorney, while important, is not to be used lightly. This is because it involves granting someone else the power to make legally-binding decisions on your behalf. Usually, your spouse will automatically have power of attorney if you become incapacitated. If you are not married, however, you need to make a document explicitly granting that authority to someone you trust (a life partner or close family member, for instance).

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 typically not read for quite some time after a person dies, and the funeral is usually long over by then, so it will be too late to follow your instructions.

Do I Need a Raleigh Estates Lawyer?

A flawed estate plan in Raleigh can result in those affected by it being confused as to your intent, which can then lead to disputes between them. A reputable attorney can often avoid this confusion by ensuring that there is as little ambiguity as possible in your will and other related documents.

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

Life in Raleigh

Raleigh is the capital of North Carolina and seat of Wake County. Raleigh is one of the three cities with Durham and Chapel Hill that's known as the "Research Triangle." It's known as such because North Carolina State University, Duke University and University of North Carolina Chapel Hill make up the three major research universities. As you may imagine, Raleigh is home then to a number of students and outstanding professors who are known internationally for their expertise. You may not know that Raleigh also has both historical and cultural attractions.

Raleigh is founded in 1792 and named for Sir Walter Raleigh who was a famous aristocrat and explorer. The Downtown region of Raleigh is home to lots of attractions like the North Carolina State Capital, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, and Museum of History. For history buffs who want to learn more about the City of Raleigh, the Raleigh City Museum in the historic Briggs Hardware Building on Fayetteville Street offers an unique view inside the growth and roots of the ever changing city. Peace College, Shaw University, Wake Technical Community College, and Strayer University are a few of the institutions of higher learning available. There are over 8,100 acres of park land in Raleigh. That even includes a championship BMX racetrack, botanical gardens, arboretum, and 22 staffed community centers.

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