NC Estate Planning Attorneys, Wills, Trusts, Healthcare Powers of Attorney

Protect your family and your life's work with a Will and Estate Plan

No one wants to think about their own death, much less plan for it, but failing to do so could have serious consequences for your family and the fate of the wealth and personal belongings you have worked your whole life to create. The truth of the matter is that death is inevitable for us all. For each of us, it is our own individual responsibility as to how we choose to meet that end, and to what extent it will impact the ones we love and the product of our life's work.

Over 70% of American's do not have a Will. An even greater percentage have made no provisions whatsoever to protect their family or their businesses in the event that they die or are somehow incapacitated, permanently or temporarily, and cannot make decisions on their own. Lack of clear direction from you, if and when these events occur, could lead to additional confusion, emotional and financial burden, and the expense of attorneys' fees and court costs to resolve disputes over what is to be done. In the worst of cases, families are torn apart, businesses are dissolved or fall into disarray, and attorneys or the government end up with a large portion of the Estate you spent your lifetime building. These are all things that could have been prevented with a clear plan and direction from you for those left behind.

Our attorneys can work with you to put the pieces in place to make certain that these events have the least impact possible on the ones you love and the products of your labors. They will talk with you about your individual situation, establish the needs and goals in relation to your family or business, and develop a plan that will ensure a smooth transition and lessen the impact should tragedy occur.

Wealth Preservation - We also work with clients to preserve their wealth for their family and lessen the tax consequences to them. With proper planning, you can minimize the amount of your estate that the government will take at your death.

Click here for a glossary of common Estate Planning Terms.

Below are some of the many services we provide to our clients, depending on their individual needs:

Last Will and Testaments
Trusts
Advanced Directives
Powers of Attorney:
Estate and Gift Tax Planning
Estate and Trust Administration
Family Limited Partnerships
Asset Protection
1. Private Foundations
2. Business Entities

Divorce and Estate Planning

Divorce is often a complicated process, and after having dealt with all of the issues of their divorce, most divorcees forget to take the very important step of updating their Last Will and Testament or Estate Plan. Don't forget to talk to one of our attorneys about having your Estate Planning documents updated as we support you with your divorce.

If you don't have a Last Will and Testament or Estate Plan, one of our attorneys will be happy to support you in preparing one to protect your family.

Estate Planning for Non-Traditional Families

Over the past decade, non-traditional families have become more prevalent in American society. Without proper planning, the death of a person can be devastating to his or her partner and family. Since the law does not provide protection to partners that are not married, failing to have an estate plan, or relying upon a Will, Joint Tenancy, or Tenancy in Common as an estate plan, is tantamount to giving up control of one's estate and management of one's well-being in times of incapacitation.

This need for an estate plan is critical in case of an accident or illness that renders the partner incapable of making decisions or managing his or her affairs. Without a proper estate plan, the other partner could be legally precluded from having any role in the decision-making of his partner's care, managing his or her affairs, or even having access to the incapacitated partner.

At Haas McNeil & Associates, P.A., our firm is committed to providing for all of the major legal needs of today's family. It is our belief that having a carefully and executed estate plan is a critical step in preserving an individual's wealth. While every individual or family's situation is different, speak with one of our attorneys about what plan is right for you.