An estate plan is only effective if it is properly administered. The estate and trust administration attorneys at Smith Debnam assist individual and corporate fiduciaries of estates and trusts in matters of probate, estate, and trust administration. If your loved one has a will, the family will go through probate. If your loved one has a trust, the family will go through a process called trust administration. Our attorneys guide executors, administrators, guardians, agents acting under powers of attorney, trustees, and beneficiaries throughout the entire estate administration and settlement process by:
If you are a fiduciary under a trust or will, or your family has experienced the death of a family member, our experienced attorneys can assist with the legal processes and procedures to preserve the wishes of the deceased and spare loved ones additional stress during an already difficult period.
From our office in Raleigh, we serve clients throughout central North Carolina. To schedule a consultation with a Raleigh Trusts and Estates attorney at our firm, please call 919-250-2000.
When it comes to your estate plan, there are a lot of decisions you’ll have to make. Read More
On May 4, 2020, the North Carolina General Assembly and Governor Roy Cooper signed into law Senate Bill 704 (NC S704). Two essential… Read More
Over the past few months, life has changed dramatically for a majority of North Carolinians. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for… Read More
If you have been named or appointed as the personal representative (also sometimes called “executor” or “administrator”) for a loved one’s estate, it… Read More
How many of us have thought about what would happen to us if one day we lost the ability to speak or get… Read More
It is a fundamental principle of law that a Last Will and Testament duly signed and witnessed is binding on no one until… Read More
Mr. James Paul Allen of Beaufort County, North Carolina executed a duly drafted will on August 29, 2002. The will was prepared by… Read More
– Will Caveats or “The Family Feud” Part 2 – The North Carolina Court of Appeals continues to publish opinions in Will… Read More
In order to set aside a Will after a person has died, a Caveator (the person attacking the Will) has three courses of… Read More
The North Carolina Court of Appeals on December 20, 2016, issued an opinion in a case involving a Will Caveat that arose in… Read More
Administering an estate, especially one with more than just your basic assets can be complicated. On a basic level, an executor must produce… Read More
In North Carolina, there are several laws in place intended to prevent you from effectively disinheriting your spouse. These laws include the Year’s… Read More
Under North Carolina law, if no one can locate your will after your death, the court will presume you destroyed the will and… Read More
When individuals finally decide what they would like done with their assets at their death, they will usually consult with a lawyer who… Read More
