When you start a business with someone else, one of the most important things that you can do is to sit down and draft a partnership agreement at the beginning. This binding agreement will define what the company is going to look like and the roles that the two of you...
In some cases, a person may write their will and estate plan so that it leaves all of their assets directly to their spouse. Since the assets do not go to anyone else, this is often called an “I love you” will. It is designed just to demonstrate affection and show the...
Marriage and divorce are among the leading reasons why people change their names. However, in North Carolina, any adult, anyone above 18 years old, can file the appropriate forms to change their name or that of a minor if you are a parent. Different factors can...
It felt like an honor to be asked to be the executor of your loved one’s estate. You never imagined that actually performing your duties would feel like such a burden. It’s not the actual process of securing the estate, managing the probate filings or paying your...
Maybe, like a lot of people, you’ve been putting off getting an estate plan in order because you’re concerned that you’ll need to modify it every time you buy something of value. That’s not the case. You certainly should modify it when you buy (or sell) your home or...
If someone you know named you in their estate plan as the person to handle their affairs when they died, you are the executor of their estate. The courts could also appoint a personal representative of an estate if the testator failed to take that step or if the...
Most of the time, an estate is going to owe debts in one fashion or another. The person who passed away may have done a lot of financial planning and paid off most of their major debts, but there are simply things that cannot be accounted for. For example, if someone...
If you’re a grandparent when you begin your estate planning, you may decide you’d prefer to contribute to your grandchild’s college education while you’re still around rather than through your estate plan. That way, you’re giving them a valuable legacy and relieving...
The importance of choosing a legal guardian for your child in case anything should happen to both you and your spouse is one of the things that spurs a lot of young adults to put an estate plan in place. However, too many people put it off. It’s often a tough decision...
Each state has its own laws governing adults changing their names. The process isn’t very easy unless you’re going through a marriage or divorce. But, it’s something that’s worth it to people who have a negative connotation to their name. If you’re getting married,...