Seven Ways to Avoid Family Fights over Your Property Ask a group of friends if they have experienced a family fight over property after a loved one has died, and you will be in for a lively and eye-opening conversation. Far too many families end up fighting, or at least experiencing tension, over a family…
Help! I’ve Been Named as a Guardian. What Do I Do? A guardian is an individual who cares for someone, often a minor child, who needs special protection. Parents can nominate a guardian in their will, but typically a court must confirm and officially appoint the guardian after both parents have passed away. Sometimes the…
Planning for Stepchildren and Grandchildren Family structures are changing more and more each day in the US, and your estate planning considerations should be changing with them. Blended families should have different priorities and have other considerations to make in the estate planning process. For example, if you remarry and your new spouse already has…
Our Estate Planning Team is Growing, Again! We are very pleased to announce that our team is growing! This month, Attorney David Scott Russ has joined us as an Estate Planning and Probate Attorney at Pierce Law Group. Scott grew up in eastern North Carolina, spending the weekends at the beach with his family.…
Do you have the right players on your team? Estate planning is not just about what happens to your stuff when you die. It is about coordinating all aspects of your life so (i) you can be taken care of during times when you are unable to care for yourself, and (ii) your money and…
Can or Should I Hand Write My Will? Durham Estate Planning Lawyers What is a Holographic Will? A Holographic Will is simply a fancy name for a Will that has been handwritten by the testator (the person that the Will is for). What is required for a handwritten Will to be legally recognized? There are…
We All Need a Yearly Check-up: Your Estate Plan Does Too We go to the doctor to get our check-up’s just to make sure that we are in good health and to detect and treat any problems that we may not even have been aware of. These are the very same reasons why it is…
Your Time is Valuable. Let us help you get a jump start on Estate Planning. In the hustle and bustle of life, many of us struggle with prioritizing what tasks to complete and when. I often find myself avoiding those personal tasks that I know are important (but are not currently pressing) in favor of…
Charitable Giving in Your Estate Plan- Durham Estate Planning Lawyer When you think about Estate Planning your mind may jump to thinking about which family members will inherit your assets. But have you considered the option of leaving something behind for a charity or organization that you are passionate about? There are many reasons you…
You’ve Taken Care Of Others, But Have You Taken Care of Yourself? Evenings, weekends, holidays, and all of the hours in between you endure working continuously day in and day out to protect our loved ones and keep us safe. You take time away from your loved ones to care for the most vulnerable population…