Estate Planning & Probate
Wills, Trusts, Probate & Estate Administration
Law Firm Carolinas helps individuals and families plan for the future and manage the legal responsibilities that follow a loved one’s death. Our attorneys assist with wills, trusts, probate, estate and trust administration, powers of attorney, guardianships, and Medicaid and long-term care planning.
The department is led by Andrew Brower, a Board Certified Specialist in Estate Planning and Probate Law. Our attorneys assist clients with North Carolina matters beyond the communities where our offices are located.
Whether you are creating an estate plan, updating existing documents, or handling an estate, we provide practical guidance tailored to your circumstances.
Contact Our Estate Planning & Probate Team
Contact Law Firm Carolinas to discuss your estate plan, probate matter, or other estate-related needs. Please let us know whether you are planning for yourself or assisting with someone else’s affairs, along with any approaching deadlines, so we can direct your inquiry to the appropriate attorney.
An estate plan helps you decide who should receive your property, who should manage your affairs, and whom you would nominate to care for minor children. Our attorneys prepare and review wills and trusts based on your family circumstances, assets, and goals.
A will directs the distribution of property that passes through your estate and names an executor to administer it. Trusts can provide additional options for managing assets, planning for beneficiaries, and addressing concerns such as incapacity, privacy, or probate.
We explain the available approaches and help you determine which documents fit your needs. We also review existing plans after significant changes, such as marriage, divorce, the birth of a child, or changes in assets or family circumstances.
Planning for illness or incapacity allows you to choose trusted individuals to help manage financial and health care decisions. Our attorneys prepare financial powers of attorney, health care powers of attorney, and advance directives, including living wills.
We explain the authority these documents provide and help clients consider whom to appoint, what instructions to include, and how the documents fit into an overall estate plan.
We also advise agents, executors, trustees, and other fiduciaries about their responsibilities. When questions arise about a document or the handling of someone’s affairs, we help clients understand their options and the steps that may be appropriate.
After a loved one’s death, family members may face unfamiliar legal responsibilities while also dealing with their loss. Our attorneys guide executors, administrators, and beneficiaries through North Carolina probate and estate administration.
Depending on the estate, our assistance may include determining whether probate is needed, obtaining authority to act, identifying assets, addressing creditor claims, preparing court filings, and distributing property to the appropriate beneficiaries.
We also assist with trust administration and questions involving inherited property. Our goal is to help clients understand their responsibilities, meet applicable deadlines, and address issues as they arise.
When someone cannot manage personal or financial affairs, a guardianship proceeding may be appropriate. Our attorneys help families evaluate the circumstances, consider available alternatives, and understand the court process.
We assist with guardianship petitions and advise guardians about their authority, responsibilities, and reporting obligations. We also help clients address situations involving suspected financial exploitation or misuse of a power of attorney.
Guardianship matters can involve sensitive family relationships and significant decisions about an individual’s rights. We provide practical guidance focused on the person’s needs and the options available under North Carolina law.
The potential cost of nursing home care and other long-term care services can raise difficult questions for individuals and families. Our attorneys help clients evaluate planning options in light of their health, finances, family circumstances, and anticipated care needs.
We advise on Medicaid planning, asset ownership, and the potential effect of transfers and other financial decisions on benefit eligibility. We also help clients understand Medicaid estate recovery and how long-term care planning fits with their wills, trusts, and powers of attorney.
Planning strategies depend on individual circumstances and applicable program rules. We explain the available options and their limitations so clients can make informed decisions.
