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Wills vs. Trusts in Tennessee: Which Estate Planning Tool Is Right for You?

Estate Planning Trusts Wills

When planning for the future, one of the most important steps you can take is establishing a clear and legally sound strategy for managing and distributing your assets after your death. In Tennessee, two of the most common estate planning…

Spring Cleaning for Your Estate Plan: Review and Revise

Estate Planning Wills

Creating an estate plan is not a one-time task. As your life changes, so should your estate plan.

Estate Planning Checklist: 5 Initial Steps You Can Take

Estate Planning Wills

Here are some steps you can take to get started with the estate planning process, even before you meet with an attorney to work on any legal documents.

Preparing a Will in Tennessee

Family Law Will/Estate Disputes Wills

Under Tennessee law, any person of sound mind, who is at least eighteen years of age, may make a will. A will must be interpreted to apply to the real and personal property it includes

Attorney and client discussing preparations; divorce planning concept.

Holographic Wills in Tennessee

Wills Living Wills Will/Estate Disputes

Holographic Wills in GeneralA holographic will, also referred to sometimes as a handwritten or olographic will, is a type of last will and testament that is entirely handwritten and signed by the person making the will, known as the testator.

Holographic Wills in Tennessee: Key Facts You Should Know

Estate Planning Wills

Holographic Wills in General A holographic will, also referred to sometimes as a handwritten or holographic will, is a type of last will that is entirely handwritten and signed by the person making the will, known as the testator. Holographic…

Preparing a Will in Tennessee: What You Need to Know

Estate Planning Wills

Under Tennessee law, any person of sound mind, who is at least eighteen years of age, may make a will. A will must be interpreted to apply to the real and personal property it includes, as if it were signed…

North Carolina Intestacy Laws: When a Deceased Person Had No Will

Wills

Many people never take the time to create a valid will and pass away without naming their heirs. These individuals are said to have died intestate, meaning that they had no will. In these cases, the North Carolina intestacy laws…

Are Handwritten Wills Valid in South Carolina?

Estate Planning Wills

The answer to this question is not as clear as one might think. While a person can handwrite their own will, South Carolina requires several other criteria to be met as well in order for a handwritten will to be…

South Carolina Inheritance Laws

Wills

Several different South Carolina inheritance laws could impact your right to receive property or what happens to your property after you pass away. In many cases, you can choose to set up your estate how you wish, but South Carolina…

Can You Hand Write a Will in North Carolina?

Wills Estate Planning

A will in North Carolina generally must be self-proving. This means that the will must have been signed by two competent witnesses in front of a notary and the person making the will must be over 18 and of sound…

What Happens if You Do Not Have a Will in South Carolina

Estate Planning Will/Estate Disputes Wills

When one dies without a will in South Carolina, one is considered to have died intestate. Intestacy laws signal that your inheritance is passed on based on South Carolina Intestacy laws. Generally, intestacy laws will pass your inheritance on to…

Inheritance Rights of Children Born Out of Wedlock

Estate Planning Will/Estate Disputes Wills

Can a child born out of wedlock get an inheritance from a father who has passed away? Over the past few years, there has been a significant change in North Carolina law regarding the inheritance rights of children who were…

Do I need a Will in North Carolina?

Estate Planning Wills

No one knows the place or time when mortality will prevail. However, we can do our best to plan for that reality. The thought of planning to create a Will is often a daunting task and uncomfortable to contemplate. However,…

How to Guarantee That My Will is Valid

Estate Planning Wills

There comes a point in our lives where it is necessary to ensure all of our assets are in order. This could be for a multitude of reasons, whether it be an emergency or just a friend mentioned it could…

Understanding the Importance of a Will

Wills Estate Planning

The North Carolina General Statutes allow any person of sound mind, who is eighteen years of age or older, to make a will. A will may be used to pass on any personal property or real property to another person…

What Happens to an Estate if Spouses Pass Within Days of Each Other?

Probate & Estate Admin Estate Planning Will/Estate Disputes Wills

When one spouse passes, the burden of handling their final affairs will often fall onto the surviving spouse. Unfortunately, tragedy can strike families in more than one fashion and spouses might pass simultaneously or within short interims between each other.…

“Hiring a Lawyer is too Expensive. How Can I Make a Will Myself?”

Estate Planning Wills

According to the AARP, only 40% of Americans have a will or a trust. If you were to ask these people why they don’t have one, it would probably be because of cost. A lot of people do not want…

Living Probate in North Carolina

Wills

Living probate is an option available in North Carolina and a handful of other states. It allows the testator to have a court determine the validity of their will during their lifetime, rather than after their death. The benefits of…

Can I Handwrite My Own Homemade Will?

Wills

As I speak to various groups and organizations about estate planning, I am periodically asked whether it is “legal” to simply handwrite a will. The short answer to this question is yes, but there are several precautions one should keep…

How to Contest a Will in North Carolina

Wills

Potential heirs are sometimes surprised to find that they are not receiving the amount or type of property they anticipated from a deceased relative’s estate. If the decedent lacked testamentary capacity or was improperly influenced to change their will, there…

Key Provisions to Include in Your Will

Wills

A will can accomplish many different legal tasks, including designating heirs, naming guardians for minor children, and naming an executor for the estate. However, many people can get by with a simple will that has a few important provisions. The…