Second in a Series on Estate Planning Myths. A financial power of attorney (“POA”) can ensure that if you become incompetent, you will not need a court-appointed guardian. Instead you can name the person to act on your behalf with…

First in a Series on Estate Planning Myths As an estate planner I like the moment when I see a client’s worried expression shift to relief.  Almost every client tells me something he or she is convinced is true about…

People get inspired to sign a will when a major life event occurs. Sometimes it’s because they became a parent or they bought a house or a close friend or family member died and they handled a messy estate. Once…

Choosing who will act for you financially under a power of attorney if you become incompetent is difficult. This person, known as the attorney-in-fact, has the keys to your kingdom. For example, they can pay your bills, make investment decisions,…

My fourteen-year old son recently caused me to choke on my coffee when he mentioned that he would be able to vote in the next presidential election. It is a form of denial that maybe all parents have about the…

Most of us live two lives: our daily lives and our cyber lives. We awake, check our phone, make our coffee, turn on the computer, login to email and Facebook, check financial accounts (trying not to spew coffee at the…

As an estate planner I think about death probably more than most people. I have considered death as a period to the final sentence in the final paragraph that is life. Of late it seems to me to be like…

I have not written about estate taxes in this column over the last year because I, like all estate planners, was nonplussed as to what to say. Through almost all of 2010 we were in disbelief that no estates were…

I am in my forties and I have been a drafter of wills for fifteen years. I have formed a few ideas and conclusions over the years of doing this type of work and thought it might be interesting to…

Four out of five clients ask me whether they need a living trust. They ask me earnestly and with fear. They have seen ads. Their broker has told them they need one. Their friends tout them as the answer to…

I could probably travel around the world on the gas I’ve used up turning around to return home to make sure I turned off the iron or the oven or lowered the garage door. But such return trips are necessary…

I am hoping for a turbulence-free journey to my final destination: to die quietly in my sleep in my own bed after a good day involving family and friends with no signs of dementia and a final slice of chocolate…

You may recall the words of Gerald O’Hara (Scarlett’s daddy): “Why, land is the only thing in the world worth workin’ for, worth fightin’ for, worth dyin’ for, because it’s the only thing that lasts.” Would Gerald like your estate…

I tell my clients that your will is your last act of parenting so make it a loving act. This approach shifts your perspective. Most of us think of wills as being about property distribution. They are, of course, but…

The first question I ask my clients when we are discussing their wills is what their wishes are for their remains. I am often greeted with a blank look. This topic is not one that tends to come up frequently…

The stories of estate beneficiaries fighting about money are a bit exaggerated. Usually it is clear how to distribute the money, the stocks, and the real property through the deceased’s will, trust or the North Carolina statutes that control if…

Your pet, be it a dog, a cat, a fish, or a bird, no doubt occupies an important role in your life. For many their pet is a family member. What should you do to plan for the care of…