Some Charlotte residents might want to revise their estate plan given the changes to estate plan exemptions that were part of the tax bill passed in December 2017. The 2017 exemption limit for couples was $10.9 million, and some people might have designed their estate...
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Choosing trustees
People in North Carolina should give careful consideration when selecting a trustee option. In many cases, it may be necessary to look outside of one's own family to choose the right person to handle complicated estate matters or to have someone within a reasonable...
How to make the role of executor easier to handle
If a North Carolina resident is named the executor of an estate, that person is responsible for overseeing and protecting an estate's assets throughout the probate process. While the job may seem overwhelming, it may be possible to do it properly by staying organized....
Estate planning for everyone
Estate planning is something every North Carolina resident should do regardless of how much money they have or how old they are. If individuals have no legal provisions in place when they die, a variety of fees and court costs can be assessed on any money and other...
Setting up a guardianship for your special needs child
If you have a loved one with special needs, you know that it can be financially, physically and emotionally challenging to provide care. You work hard to provide the support he or she needs, but it is prudent to think about his or her care beyond your lifetime. It is...
Estate planning is emotional as well as financial
For people in North Carolina, preparing for the future includes an estate plan. Estate planning helps to ease the life of heirs and make a family's emotional pain after the death of a loved one far less complicated, as the distribution of assets is provided for...
Estate planning and tax liability
North Carolina residents who leave property to their loved ones may not realize how taxes can affect beneficiaries when they inherit an estate. South Dakota Congresswoman Kristi Noem has come forward to warn others about how the federal government's "death tax" has...
Digital assets as part of an estate plan
North Carolina residents should incorporate digital asset planning as part of their overall estate plan. This may make it easier for others to clean out, shut down or otherwise manage email accounts, bank accounts and other online properties. In some states such as...
An addicted child can complicate your estate plan
Every day, 142 people in the United States die from drug overdoses. This may be your greatest fear if you have an adult child who struggles with opioid addiction. The opioid crisis is so widespread that many refer to it as an epidemic. As you grow...
Cy Pres doctrine allows charitable trusts to adapt and continue
When people in North Carolina choose to form a charitable trust, they might want them to serve their purpose in perpetuity. Unlike other trusts, a charitable trust has the option of continuing its mission indefinitely. This open-ended feature on some charitable...