NC and SC Estate Planning and Elder Law Firm

There was a time, not so long ago, when disagreements between gentlemen were more likely to be decided by a duel than a court of law. Although the most famous duel is probably Hamilton’s fatal showdown with Vice President Burr in Weehawken, New Jersey, this alternative means of dispute resolution was particularly popular in the Carolinas. Today, dueling is illegal (although Canada is working on bringing it back), but other alternatives to lawsuits remain quite popular.

It is more than a little bit ironic that a company that specializes in identity theft protection is the source of the second largest personal data hack in United States history. When Equifax announced that 143 million Americans had their personal information stolen via a weakness in its own website, it was like a punch in the gut.

If you are curious, you can use a tool on the Equifax website to check whether your information was stolen.
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Slate’s advice columnist, “Prudence,” recently answered a question from someone who was dealing with a bunch of relatives who were upset about the decision to sell off a “family” property. Prudie’s answer is a good one from a moral perspective, but will it hold up in court?

The Question

The person writing in was dealing with family strife over a vacation property.
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If you have a few family heirlooms that you want to pass on to the next generation, you will probably remember to mention these items and your wishes regarding them to your estate planning attorney. These treasured objects tell the story of your family, and provide a tangible link to the past.

But you probably own other items of historical significance that you haven’t thought much about, and are not likely to mention in your estate plan.
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Happy First Day of school for South Carolina schools (and North Carolina schools in a few days).
Now that school is in session don't forget to do your homework! Come see us so we can plan, protect and preserve your future.
 
"Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself." - John Dewey

When you read the title above, what was the age of the person that came to mind? If you are like most people, the first person you thought of was a child. However, older adults are just as vulnerable as children online.  

Financial losses from elder fraud and abuse are estimated to total more than $36 billion per year. More and more of that fraud is happening online.
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The “I do” to-do list seems like it is never-ending. There are flowers to pick out, venues to book, dresses and suits to find and get fitted, and a million other things that the bride and groom must attend to before walking down that aisle. One to-do a lot of couples skip, and later regret, is a visit with an estate planning attorney.
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If you have ever seen the cult classic Tommy Boy you should know that having a succession plan in place does not guarantee that your succession plan will be successfully implemented.

If you have never seen it, you should since it’s hilarious. It tells the story of Thomas R.

How can I ensure my estate plan includes my digital assets?

In the past decade, banking and finances have moved to the digital realm.  Most companies offer you the option of electronic statements, online bill pay, and electronic auto payments.  These methods are more environmentally friendly and potentially time-saving, but moving all of your assets and accounts online can lead to challenges in estate planning.  Our Read more . . .

“There are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns — the ones we don't know we don't know. And if one looks throughout the history of our country and other free countries, it is the latter category that tend to be the difficult ones.”

-Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld

This is the quote that sprang to mind when the Government Accountability Office’s Read more . . .

Sinatra crooned that love and marriage go together like a horse and carriage, but Old Blue Eyes might be singing a different tune if he were alive today. Many couples do indeed have one without the other, particularly if their current love is not their first. Couples in such a relationship may not want to formalize their relationship in a public ceremony, but they should consider talking with an estate planning attorney to make sure their end of life wishes are not ignored because they chose not to tie the knot.
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