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At the Wolfe Law Offices, we want to understand your needs, your concerns, and your wishes to develop the right estate plan tailored to you. Come to Attorney Beth Wolfe in Raleigh for the development of a personalized estate plan. We provide support and counsel and will provide a tailor plan that may include the following:
- Last Will and Testament
- A will allows you to control how your assets are distributed and to whom after your death. It allows you to provide for those you love after you're gone. This is important whether your estate is large or small, regardless of whether you have children or not, or are single, married, or divorced. You can control the disposition of both real and personal property. You can also nominate a guardian for your minor children in your will. Without a will, the state makes those choices for you.
- Power Of Attorney
- A Power of Attorney (POA) is a legal document allowing another person to handle your financial affairs for you - as you specify within the document. It can provide broad powers to handle your affairs, or it can be limited to handle specific transactions. A POA can be effective immediately or upon the happening of an event. It can terminate when you become incapacitated, or it can be a Durable POA and begin and remain in effect at that time. A Durable Power of Attorney is an important planning document to ensure there is someone you trust that can handle your affairs if you are unable.
- Healthcare Power of Attorney
- A Healthcare Power of Attorney is a document that allows you to appoint someone you trust to act as your agent and make health care decisions when you are incapacitated and unable to make those decisions yourself. The person you name to act as your healthcare agent is your spokesperson - acting on your behalf - and only when you are unable. They should understand your wishes and be able to speak and advocate on your behalf in medical decisions regardless of their own personal feelings and the influence or wishes from other family and friends. They can be authorized to make routine medical decisions (such as consent to x-rays or surgery) or decisions on more extraordinary or life-sustaining measures.
- Living Wills
- A living will allows you to write down your wishes for the type of medical treatment you want at the end of your life. It allows you to specify important medical care wishes such as whether you want medical providers to withhold or withdraw life-prolonging measures in certain situations (such as whether you'd want to be on a respirator, or whether you'd want artificial nutrition or hydration that would only serve to delay your passing).
- Revocable Living Trusts
- Revocable Living Trusts direct how assets will be managed after your death. It is revocable, as it can be modified during your lifetime. It is a living trust, as it is created while you are alive. A trust can contain assets such as bank accounts, real estate and investments. You must transfer your assets to the trust while you are alive, but you can change your choices during your lifetime - taking money or assets in or out of the trust. With this kind of a trust, you are the "Settlor" that puts the assets in the trust. You name a "Trustee" to manage the assets within the trust. Initially you can be the Trustee, and you can name another person to handle the distribution of your assets after your death. While a Revocable Living Trust is similar to a will, it can be used in situations where you want the distribution of your assets private (as the trust does not have to be filed with the state), or where you want to control the distribution of your assets by specifying conditions under which your beneficiaries will receive the assets (upon reaching a certain age, for a specific purpose, completing school, etc.).
Probate and Estate Administration
When a loved one passes away, his or her estate must be managed and distributed. Debts and taxes have to be paid. People and companies have to be notified of the death. Accounts have to be closed. Assets have to be collected and distributed to the beneficiaries. Often it goes through a court-managed process called probate.
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Administering the estate requires you follow a specific set of actions to ensure your loved ones wishes are followed if there is a will, or their assets are distributed properly according to law. .
If you are named as an executor or personal representative, all of this might be overwhelming, and you may not know what is expected of you. This can be a complex process and you may need or want help
Our attorney can help executors and personal representatives with this process. We can help you throughout to process including:
We can help ease the process of managing the estate and give you peace of mind that the process is being handled properly. Please call us to help you during this difficult time
If you are named as an executor or personal representative, all of this might be overwhelming, and you may not know what is expected of you. This can be a complex process and you may need or want help
Our attorney can help executors and personal representatives with this process. We can help you throughout to process including:
- validating the will
- notifying parties
- paying debts and taxes
- inventorying and distributing assets
- working with the courts
We can help ease the process of managing the estate and give you peace of mind that the process is being handled properly. Please call us to help you during this difficult time
Business Law
- Business Formation
- Counsel and selection of entity type including limited liability company, partnership or corporation
- Obtaining a Federal Tax ID (EIN)
- Drafting articles of incorporation, bylaws, partnership and operating agreements
- Filing documents with the NC Secretary of State
- Contract Drafting and Review
- Intellectual Property Protection - non-disclosure agreements, trademark, copyright