Reading Playboy for the Articles: Is Estate Planning Your Estranged Spouse’s Ultimate and Final Controlling Act?
Given Hugh Hefner’s star status it is no wonder that rumors immediately began to swirl upon his death about what would happen to the fortune he amassed through the Playboy empire. There were rumblings that he may actually still be married to Kimberly Conrad, though he married Crystal Harris in 2012. There have also been […]
The Intricacies of Estate Planning for Same Sex Couples
When the Supreme Court announced its decision in Obergefell v. Hodges* last summer, it was rightly viewed as a victory for equality for same-sex couples across the country. As a result of the ruling, same-sex marriages that had once been ignored, disregarded, or deemed illegal were immediately granted the same full faith and credit as […]
Living Wills for Individuals and Businesses
Recently the Charlotte Business Journal contained an article about the big banks’ failure on their own ‘living wills’. In the context of the big banks, the living wills in question are the Federal Reserve and FDIC requirements that the largest banks provide documents outlining how the bank’s failure or bankruptcy will not create mayhem in […]
Why Do I Need a Will? 4 Reasons you Should Stop Procrastinating Today
Let’s face it: death is scary. And talking about death seems to make it even scarier, so most people avoid the topic altogether. What many don’t realize is that procrastination in talking about this uncomfortable issue will create added stress and complication for loved ones already distraught and grieving. To help you and your family, […]
Need an Estate Planning Attorney?
Do you have an estate plan in place? Do you know who your children would live with if you died tomorrow? Do you know how your assets would be distributed? These are tough topics that no one likes to think about, but there is no time like the present to schedule an appointment to meet […]
What is Common Law Marriage?
Common Law Marriage is not recognized in North Carolina; however, “if the acts alleged to have created it took place in a state in which such a marriage is valid” North Carolina will recognize the marriage. State v. Alford, 298 N.C. 465, 473, 259 S.E.2d 242, 247 (1979). Our neighbor, South Carolina, recognizes common law […]