HomeResourcesEstate planning resources
Charlotte, NC · Summerville, SC
Estate planning guides for North and South Carolina
An estate plan says who receives what you own, who’s in charge if you can’t act, and what happens to your house. These guides explain each piece in plain words. Where the rules differ between North and South Carolina, each guide says so.
Start here
- Estate planning in North and South Carolina
Walks through the five documents most plans use. They are a will, a revocable trust, a financial power of attorney, a health care power of attorney and a living will. It also explains the 5 by 5 rule and what to bring to a first meeting.
Wills
- Wills
Covers making a valid will in each state, handwritten wills in North Carolina, choosing an executor, and what a will can’t control.
Trusts
- Trusts
Explains revocable and irrevocable trusts and the downsides of a trust. It also covers the deed step that puts your house into one.
Long-term care
- Medicaid and long-term care planning
Covers the look-back period, the family home and estate recovery. It also explains what being someone’s power of attorney means.
Getting married
- Prenuptial agreements
Explains protecting a home you owned before marriage. It also shows how a prenup and your will work together, especially in a second marriage.
When the estate includes a house
- Inherited property and deeds
Covers who owns the house after a death, and whether all heirs have to agree to sell.
Talk to an attorney
These guides explain general rules, not advice for your situation. Christine Hart handles North Carolina plans at McDowell Street. Justin Montgomery and Tiffany Lumpkin handle South Carolina plans at Sigma Drive. Call 980-243-4470 or request a time online.
Responsible attorneys: Christine Hart (North Carolina), 122 N. McDowell Street, Charlotte, NC 28204. Justin Montgomery and Tiffany Lumpkin (South Carolina), 201 Sigma Drive, Suite 300, Summerville, SC 29486.