Durham Estate Planning Services

35+ Years of Serving North Carolina’s Families

Taking control of your future through an estate plan is a smart move at any age. Whether you are thinking ahead to the near future or to the very distant future, having a plan in place provides peace of mind and reassurance that your loved ones will be taken care of.

At Walker Lambe, PLLC, our estate planning attorneys are backed by more than 35 years of experience representing families throughout North Carolina. We offer personalized legal services and are passionate about helping you achieve your goals.

What is Estate Planning?

No matter the size or value of your property, if you own an estate your assets may be in jeopardy. You may want to control how your valuables are distributed to your beneficiaries. You will need to provide detailed instructions for all aspects of your assets to inform the government of your wishes in order to have control. The documents included are called an estate plan and include details on the how, when, and what. Estate planning is beneficial for anyone, regardless of the value of your life. Life is unpredictable, do not leave anything to chance. The Durham estate planning attorneys at Walker Lambe are here to help guide you through the process and provide you with peace of mind. Give us a call today for a consultation!

Services We Provide

Our estate planning lawyers work with our clients to achieve their goals. Whether you wish to plan for retirement, provide for a disabled family member, plan for your children’s and grandchildren’s education, or establish a private foundation, our team can help you evaluate your options and finalize the details.

Questions Answered in an Estate Plan

With a comprehensive and detailed estate plan in place, your loved ones benefit greatly. An estate plan simplifies the details when you are no longer able to speak for yourself and provides you with peace of mind that things are taken care of the way you want them to be.

What Documents Do I Need For Estate Planning?

Setting up an estate plan leaves nothing to chance when you pass. An estate plan will save your beneficiaries from going through the probate process. The documents that you will need/ go through with an estate planning attorney include:

• Will/ Last Testament

• Advanced Medical Instructions

• Living Will

• Power of Attorney

• Beneficiaries Forms

• Living Trust

All of these documents can be put together with the help of an estate planning attorney. Walker Lambe, PLLC has experience supporting clients in a variety of estate planning needs. Call us today for a review of your case and to schedule a consultation!

Why Estate Planning is Important

It is a common misconception that estate planning is only for the extremely wealthy. In reality, most people can benefit from the use of one. Many people have something that they have worked hard to achieve and this can be lost if you are not proactive.

A normal estate plan will usually include a will, a power of attorney for property, a living will and a power of attorney for healthcare. More advanced estate plans can include charitable trusts, gift trusts, investment and business vehicles, and life insurance trusts. Our attorneys can help you create a well-executed estate plan to help mitigate the need for going through the probate process.

Benefits of Estate Planning

Having an estate plan is beneficial to both yourself and your loved ones by eliminating the need for them to make big decisions on your behalf without any guidance.

Some of the benefits include, but are not limited to:

• Having an estate plan can protect your children from losing their inheritance if your spouse remarried after you pass.
• Granting yourself and your loved one's peace of mind by knowing your estate is protected is one of the biggest benefits of having an estate plan.
• Having a documented plan on what you would prefer to happen to your assets if you are incapable of making decisions yourself makes it easier on everyone else involved.
• Assigning a person you trust to take over the duties of the plan is another great benefit of an estate plan.
• Estate planning lets you set terms or conditions on how inheritances get disbursed, like having a child attend a college before receiving their funds.
• Limiting the amount of taxes the estate may face is another benefit to having an estate plan written.

What Happens If I Don’t Make an Estate Plan?

If you pass away without leaving a valid estate plan or will, the state has the power to distribute your estate according to North Carolina intestate succession laws. Often, this leads to a time-consuming and expensive court process for family members.

Secure Your Future with Experienced Estate Planning Lawyers

At Walker Lambe, PLLC, we strive to create an estate plan that is unique to you and your family. We aim to provide consistent and straightforward communication throughout our service to you.