Estate Planning Lawyers
Charlotte | Huntersville | Hickory
Helping Our Clients Plan Ahead to Protect Their Assets
Take Estate Planning Seriously
If you’re lucky, you’ll go through your entire life without ever experiencing a significant legal issue. Unfortunately, such issues often find their way to us once we’ve left this world. Most people leave behind assets when they pass on, and as we get older or sustain injuries, there are even times when we can’t make decisions for ourselves. Estate planning is the way to ensure you maintain control over your assets and life, even when doing so may seem impossible. This is why seeking the help of an estate planning lawyer in North Carolina is so important.
At Harman Law, we’ve seen what can happen when people don’t properly plan for the future. Families can be torn apart in court battles. Major decisions you wouldn’t make on your own could be forced upon you after a serious injury. The best legal advice our law firm can give anyone is to take estate planning seriously right now. You never know what tomorrow may bring, but at Harman Law, we’re ready to ensure you have a say in issues that affect your life and assets.
How Do You Write a Will in North Carolina?
Writing a will is one of the most important aspects of any estate plan. The crucial thing to know is that laws regarding the creation of wills vary by state. Failing to follow North Carolina laws when creating such a document may make it impossible to avoid disputes. Your will can contain provisions regarding where your assets go, who will care for your children, and who will serve as a trustee — but it will only be valid if certain conditions are met.
This is why it’s so important to speak with a North Carolina estate planning attorney. A will in our state must be self-proving. This means that two witnesses, in addition to the owner of the will, must sign the document in front of a notary. Validity also rests on the will creator being over the age of 18. While it is possible for a will to not be self-proving, others will need to prove the validity of the document in court. The North Carolina estate planning attorneys at Harman Law can help.
What are the Benefits of Crafting an Estate Plan in North Carolina?
An estate plan can provide a wide range of benefits to individuals and families. It can help ensure that your final wishes are respected, protect your family’s financial security, and even reduce or eliminate estate taxes.
Having an estate plan in place will help you avoid having your assets tied up in probate court after you pass away. Probate is the legal process by which a deceased person’s estate is settled through the courts, which can be costly and time-consuming for those involved. An effective estate plan will detail how each asset should be distributed upon death so that everything goes smoothly.
An effective estate plan can help protect your family’s financial security. You may want to provide an inheritance or other financial assistance to your heirs. An estate plan can help ensure that these financial goals are met, even if you’re no longer around. Additionally, an estate plan can minimize the amount of taxes paid by your estate, saving your family from incurring a large tax burden after you pass away.
How to Handle Other Estate Planning Needs
Your will is no doubt one of the most important estate planning documents you’ll ever create. However, it’s far from the only legal record that you may need. Asset protection and expressing your wishes can become necessary long before you’ve left this world. That’s why we serve our clients by providing comprehensive estate planning that includes more than just will creation. These services include:
Healthcare Power of Attorney
This is a document that allows someone to designate an individual who can make healthcare decisions on their behalf. This becomes necessary if you’re unable to express your medical wishes on your own. If this document does not exist, medical professionals will usually turn to your closest kin to make such decisions — and this may or may not be what you wish.
Power of Attorney
This document allows individuals to choose someone who will make non-healthcare decisions and handle financial necessities on their behalf. This could include dealing with general affairs or paying bills. You can opt to have a power of attorney take effect immediately, or you may choose to reserve such powers until you’re unable to handle your own affairs.
Living Will
This document outlines your end-of-life medical wishes if you become unable to communicate such decisions later. Such choices can include your decision to stay on life support, accept artificial nutrition/hydration, and other end-of-life wishes. Provisions contained in living wills have no power after death.
Contact an Estate Planning Lawyer in North Carolina Today
Asset distribution, medical planning, and other estate needs are too important to be left to chance. Having an estate plan in place can ensure that your wishes are respected even when you are unable to convey them yourself. North Carolina simplifies things in a variety of ways — such as by not levying estate taxes — but there are still other expenses and major considerations that must be accounted for.
At Harman Law, our estate planning lawyers in North Carolina are ready to help. We handle basic will, living will, and other estate planning needs. We can also help create powers of attorney and provide assistance with all things related to estate planning. Regardless of your estate planning needs, we can assist you through the complexities of state and federal law. Contact us today by calling (704) 286-0947 to get started. Some of the most important decisions in your life shouldn’t be left to judges and other parties, and we’ll make sure they’re not.
