Charlotte Trusts and Estates Lawyers Help Clients Plan for the Future

Highly responsive North Carolina attorneys draft and probate wills

Gorman & Associates, P.A. counsels clients in all will, trust, estate planning and estate administration areas. Everyone needs a will, but for those with minor children, real estate, or substantial assets, a will is critical. Larger estates may be subject to federal estate taxes. We clearly and concisely explain various methods of legally and ethically reducing or eliminating your tax burden so it does not pass to your beneficiaries.

Drafting simple wills, living wills and power of attorney letters

Wills concern the distribution of your estate. The term “simple will” refers to any will that does not involve estate planning. When minor children are involved, the crucial guardianship provisions and a minors’ trust are always included within the will. Our Charlotte estate planning attorneys help you create a will that protects your heirs and your money.

Living wills and other documents determine what happens to you in case of emergency. We draft and explain to you all of the commonly used documents such as:

• Durable power of attorney, which still applies in the event of incapacity
• Living will, also known as a declaration of desire for natural death
• Health care power of attorney for someone to make medical decisions for you in the event of incapacity

Our attorneys work to ease the financial burden and capacity issues that often come with aging.

Skilled legal representation in will probate and administration

Probate is the legal process by which an estate is administered at the courthouse. A will is probated, and the assets that pass through the will are probated. For sizeable or complex estates, we handle all of the estate administration and probate matters, taking the burden off the Executor or Administrator to assist them in preparing all required inventories, application for letters testamentary and publication of notice to creditors.

Using trusts to avoid public probate

Many of our clients prefer to place their assets in a revocable trust (a form of “living” trust), to avoid the time, hassle, and expense of probate. For many of our clients with moderate to larger estates, estate tax planning considerations overshadow the importance of probate avoidance. By using AB trusts and other tools, we are able to help some North Carolina families avoid or postpone the payment of certain taxes. Our attorneys help clients understand the type of trust that works best for their estate.

Utilizing advanced estate planning techniques to plan for the future

Our philosophy is to keep the plan as simple as possible, but at the same time to accomplish your tax-saving objectives. However, for clients with larger estates who need more sophisticated estate planning, we draft Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts (ILITs), Family Limited Partnerships, Charitable Remainder Trusts as well as other advanced trusts and estate planning documents. We provide thorough explanations as to how these instruments can be helpful to Charlotte families. We also explain and implement various gifting and Charitable Trust options that are available.

Let our established estate planning attorneys protect your financial legacy

At Gorman & Associates, P.A., our attorneys provide a full range of estate planning services to clients in the Charlotte area. We handle both large and small estates and create simple and complex estate plans. Please call us at 704-544-2500 or contact us online to discuss your needs with one of our estate planning attorneys.