Estate/Legacy Planning (Wills and Trusts)
We assist with an all-embracing strategy designed to pass down your wealth, property, personal values, and long-term intentions to future generations or organizations after you pass away. While traditional estate planning focuses strictly on the legal transfer of physical and financial assets, legacy planning goes a step further by weaving in your family narrative, ethical beliefs, and goals inspired by your motivations for planning.
Financial/Healthcare Proxies (POAs)
A financial proxy uses a Durable Power of Attorney (DPOA) to manage your money, granting authority for someone to pay bills, sell property, protect assets and manage investments. This trusted proxy can keep businesses running and finances stable during a crisis, and prevent court intervention, avoiding a costly, public guardianship or conservatorship process.
A healthcare proxy, or Healthcare Power of Attorney (HCPOA ) can make medical decisions for you when you become unable to do so for yourself, dictating choices on surgeries, medications, and life support, interpret living wills, accessing medical records, and can help relieve family burden and stressful disagreements among relatives during medical emergencies.
Adult Guardianships/Conservatorships
An Adult Guardianship is a legal proceeding before a North Carolina Clerk of Court. The Petitioner/Movant files an application and other court documents with the court when a vulnerable adult becomes entirely incapable of making safe medical or financial decisions, or incapable of protecting themselves from exploitation. Without proactive planning, courts will seize control to appoint a guardian, strip the individual of personal freedoms, and incur massive expenses that could have been avoided with a Power of Attorney. The Movant also must file documents with the court if they wish to alter or change a guardianship.
Aging in Place Blueprints/Analysis
Aging in place blueprints/analysis assist families in keeping seniors at home. The plan involves many layers, but the legal aspect involves having critical legal documents, such as customized powers of attorney and living trusts, along with care agreements and contracts ensuring designated caregivers have the immediate legal authority to manage personal, medical and financial care.
Special Needs Planning and Advocacy
Special Needs Planning and Advocacy helps protect an individual’s quality of life and dignity while preserving their eligibility for essential government benefits by helping families navigate complex legal and financial frameworks. The goal is be assured that loved ones are cared for throughout their entire lives. Additionally, Adult Guardianships are often necessary if a loved one is unable to understand the legal framework of choosing a healthcare proxy.
Long Term Care Planning
If and when a nursing home makes more sense, Long Term Care Planning is necessary for seniors and their families to navigate the complex legal and financial steps required to afford and secure long-term medical care, without draining assets. Although future planning is ideal, emergency planning is an alternative to spending down and liquidating all of the senior’s assets.