Wilmington NC Will and Trust Lawyers - Hogan and Betts

Part of a proper "Estate Plan" is to have your "Will" in place. Your Will is a powerful document that not only outlines what you want done with your property, but other things such as custody and care for any minor children, and possibly setting up a way that funds are set aside for children and left in the care of another.

If you should die without a will, you will be classified as having died "intestate." This means that the State of North Carolina will then direct what happens to your assets following your death. Additionally, the State may get involved in the guardianship of your children. Providing for guardianship and custody of the kids in a properly executed Will gives a strong presumption to your wishes regarding the kids, and the State generally abides by what you wish.

Properly executing your will (and other estate planning documents) is important. A proper estate planning attorney will not only prepare the documents for you, but help you execute them as well. Unlike some commercials you may hear or see, we at Hogan & Betts, PLLC, ARE a law firm, carrying with that all of the obligations of the Attorney-Client relationship, including the responsibility for executing your documents correctly.

People often ask about "Trusts." When many "financial professionals" talk about trusts, they are often referring to a "Living Trust." At Hogan & Betts, PLLC, we believe that simpler is better. We try to streamline your affairs as much as possible and avoid unnecessary complexity that carries with it only confusion and cost. Living Trusts, while appropriate in some circumstances, are generally not right for most folks. There are other ways to do what you wish apart from dropping potentially thousands on unneeded documentation.

Wills and Trusts are complex at times, but can be made simple and understandable if the time is taken with the client to explain everything and help them through it all. That's our goal here at Hogan & Betts, PLLC.