WILLS & ESTATE PLANNING
Estate planning means preparing for and protecting the future. It's a good idea for anyone, regardless of their financal or family situation, but it's often those major life events - a first house, marriages, children - that kick start a desire to have a plan, or maybe update an existing one. The most important part of estate planning is doing it sooner rather than later - by the time these documents are truly needed, it's too late to make them.
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At the Law Office of Thomas W. Gooden, PLLC, we can provide you with four documents essential to estate planning - (1) a will, (2) a living will, (3) a Health Care Power of Attorney, and (4) a Durable General Power of Attorney.
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A will is more than just "who gets my stuff." Instead of having multiple family members vying to be "in charge" - the will states exactly who will serve as your Executor. A well-drafted will is plainly-worded enough that people can actually understand it, while also complicated enough to handle a large variety of family and financial situations that the future may hold. A will can also direct what would happen if you leave behind minor children - how your assets will be used to protect them, and who will be in charge of their physical custody.
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A living will (also called an advance directive) outlines your wishes for your own medical or end-of-life care if you are incapacitated and unable to communicate them yourself. While the subject matter is not fun to discuss, it prevents family members from wondering (or fighting over) what is the right decision.
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A Health Care Power of Attorney appoints a person or persons who are granted decision-making authority regarding your medical care. Usually, it is their role to implement the wishes outlined in your living will. They may or may not have the power to overrule the living will, depending on how the documents are drafted.
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A Durable General Power of Attorney appoints a person or persons who are granted, well, "general" powers to do things on your behalf, including if you are incapacitated or unavailable. Sometimes they're referred to as "financial powers of attorney" because handling financial affairs is a common use of them. For that reason, its typical for spouses to have respective powers of attorney for each other, or for an aging parent to grant power of attorney to an adult child. Our Durable General Powers of Attorney are updated to reflect the changes made by the North Carolina Uniform Power of Attorney Act that went into effect in 2018.
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Call the Law Office of Thomas W. Gooden, PLLC at 704-360-0719 to found out more about these estate planning documents and our affordable rates, payable only upon your satisfaction with the prepared documents.