NC and SC Estate Planning and Elder Law Firm

What would you do if a stranger showed up at your home out of nowhere, and told you they were your new legal guardian? They have the power to control your finances, make healthcare decisions for you, decide where you live, and can even prevent you from seeing your family if they don’t think it is a good idea for you to be around them. It sounds impossible, but a recent article in The New Yorker details how this nightmare scenario is actually playing out.

The article focuses on the plight of a particular couple in Nevada, Rudy and Rennie North, but it is something that could happen virtually anywhere thanks to the relative lack of oversight in the guardianship system.

We live in a society that has become obsessed with celebrity. We’ve gone from a time where everyone was concerned with keeping up with the Joneses, to a period where it is impossible to avoid Keeping Up With the Kardashians. Is it any surprise then, that we also are interested in knowing what sort of estate planning our favorite celebs have done?

Although it indicates good planning on their part, it is a bit disappointing to find out there is no news about what a celeb’s last wishes were.
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Paul Simon sang to us about the “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” while Train told us there are “50 Ways to Say Goodbye.” Based on all the big life changes that are happening in these songs, the next “50 Ways” song should probably be “50 Ways to Destroy an Old Will.” For that task, we’ve got some suggestions.
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Back in the day, it was possible to pay for college by working over the summer and holding down a part-time job during the semester. Today, no kid is going to be able to put themselves through school this way. Tuition has increased at more than twice the rate of inflation over the past 40 years, making it difficult for all but the richest families to pay for college.

Many grandparents are chipping in to help out with educational expenses. In addition to being a lovely thing to do, it can also be a great way to Read more . . .

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