Many North Carolina residents assume that estate administration is automatic following their death, but we want to advise our readers that estate planning comes first. In other words, you must have certain documentation in place before your estate administration can proceed as you wish it to.
Estate planning is an important part of a modern person’s life. In addition to creating a will, proper planning empowers you to create trusts, powers of attorney and other options that detail how your estate will be handled. We understand that estate planning can be confusing to the uninitiated. As such, we want to offer our readers some information to ensure estate planning proceeds quickly and smoothly.
The first step is scheduling a consultation with an estate planning attorney. To make the most of this important meeting, prepare yourself in advance with the following tips.
- Prepare a comprehensive inventory of your assets as well as your debts.
- Make a list of all of your beneficiaries.
- Prepare a list of questions to ask your attorney.
- Make a short list of possible candidates to administrate your estate.
If you already possess some knowledge of planning and estate administration, you may also want to decide which directives to include in your plan ahead of time. If not, remember to ask your lawyer about all of the options available to you. Coming to your consultation prepared will make it easier for you and your lawyer to establish a rapport and begin working on your plan cooperatively.
Please visit us online if you would like more information about estate administration, estate planning and end-of-life legal directives.
