An estate plan puts your decisions in writing while you are healthy and able to make them. It names who manages your affairs if you cannot, who cares for your children, and how your property passes to the people you choose.
We help clients with wills, trusts, powers of attorney, health care directives, guardianship planning, and special needs planning across Forsyth, Davie, Davidson, Yadkin, and Iredell County.
Estate planning consultations are complimentary.
People usually come to estate planning around a specific life event. These are the situations that most often bring someone in
You just had a child and need to name a guardian.
You own a business and need a plan for what happens to it, which we cover on our business law page.
You bought a home or other property and want it to pass the way you intend.
You have a child or family member with a disability and want to protect their benefits.
You have a blended family and want to provide for a spouse and children from a prior relationship.
You moved to North Carolina and want a plan that follows current state law.
You are caring for aging parents and want their wishes documented before a health event.
You have an old will that no longer matches your family, your assets, or your wishes.
Estate planning works best when it starts with a conversation, not a stack of forms. We begin by understanding your family, your assets, the people who depend on you, and the decisions you want made if something happens. Then we explain the documents in plain language, so you know what each one does and why it belongs in your plan.
Some families need a simple will, powers of attorney, and health care documents. Others need a trust, special needs planning, or a plan for a business or blended family. We help you choose what fits without adding complexity you do not need.
Our goal is for you to leave with a plan you understand. Once the documents are signed, existing clients receive a complimentary annual review, with no document-holding fees and no maintenance charges.
Ready to put a plan in place?
Schedule a complimentary consultation to get started.
Estate planning and special needs planning are handled directly by Sarah Young, the firm’s founder. You work with the attorney responsible for your plan, so the person learning your family, your assets, and your goals is the same person guiding the documents.
A complete plan is a set of documents that work together. We help you decide which ones you need based on your family and your goals.
A will directs how your property is distributed after death and names an executor to carry out your wishes. For parents of minor children, a will is also where you name a guardian. In North Carolina, a valid written will must be signed by you and witnessed by two competent witnesses. Without a will, state law decides who inherits, which may not match what you would have chosen.
A trust holds and manages assets for the people you name. Trusts can keep certain assets out of probate, set conditions on how and when beneficiaries receive property, and provide for a minor child or a family member who needs help managing money. We help you decide whether a trust fits your situation or whether a will is enough.
A durable power of attorney names someone to manage your finances if you become unable to do so. It covers things like paying bills, managing accounts, and handling property. Without one, your family may have to ask a court to appoint a guardian, which takes time and money.
A health care power of attorney names someone to make medical decisions for you if you cannot speak for yourself. A living will, called an advance directive in North Carolina, records your wishes about life-prolonging measures. Together they give your family clear direction during a medical crisis.
Families who have a loved one with a disability can use a special needs trust to provide for that person while accounting for the government benefits they rely on. This planning coordinates an inheritance or a gift so it can supplement, rather than replace, the programs the person relies on. Sarah Young handles special needs planning directly. We cover special needs trusts, ABLE accounts, and benefits-aware planning in detail on our special needs law page (/special-needs/).
Estate planning is a planned process, not an emergency, and knowing the steps ahead of time makes the first call easier. Here is what to expect from the first conversation to a signed plan.
STEP 01
We meet to understand your family, your assets, and what you want to happen. Estate planning consultations are complimentary. There is no obligation to move forward.
STEP 02
We recommend the specific documents that fit your situation and explain why, in plain language, before any drafting begins.
STEP 03
We prepare your documents and walk through them with you. You review everything and ask questions until it reads the way you want.
STEP 04
We handle the signing, witnessing, and notarization, so your documents meet North Carolina requirements and are valid.
STEP 05
Existing clients receive a complimentary annual review of their documents. There are no document-holding fees and no maintenance charges.
Talk with an estate planning attorney.
Schedule a consultation or call to get started.
A few things specific to North Carolina shape how we build your plan.
Your estate may still be subject to federal estate tax, but that applies only to estates above a high federal exemption, which most families do not reach.
If you die without a will, North Carolina’s intestacy laws under Chapter 29 determine who inherits and in what shares. The result often surprises families, especially in blended families or when a spouse and children are both involved.
For families in our area, that is the Clerk of Superior Court in Forsyth, Davie, Davidson, Yadkin, or Iredell County. A well-built plan can reduce what has to pass through probate and make the process easier on the people you leave behind.
A closer look at the documents themselves, including when a will is enough and when a trust is worth setting up.
For long-term care planning, guardianship proceedings, and helping aging family members.
For families handling the estate of someone who has passed away.
A will is enough for many families, and a trust helps in specific situations. The choice comes down to what each document does, which we cover in depth on our wills and trusts page. We also walk through it with you in the consultation.
State intestacy law decides who inherits and in what shares. That may not match what you would have chosen, particularly if you have a blended family, a long-term partner you are not married to, or specific people you want to provide for.
Review it after major life events: marriage, divorce, a new child, a death in the family, a significant change in assets, or a move to a new state. Existing clients receive a complimentary annual review so the plan stays current.
A will takes effect after death and directs how your property passes. A power of attorney takes effect during your life and names someone to act for you if you cannot act for yourself. Most complete plans include both.
Assets held in a trust can pass outside of probate, depending on how the trust is funded. Our wills and trusts page explains how that works and when a trust is worth setting up.
Yes. We review your existing documents and update or replace them as needed. Our wills and trusts page covers updating an old will in more detail.
Most straightforward plans move from consultation to signing in a matter of weeks. More complex situations take longer. We give you a realistic timeline at the consultation.
No. There are no document-holding fees and no maintenance charges. Existing clients also receive a complimentary annual document review.
If you are ready to put a plan in place, or you just want to understand your options, talk with an estate planning attorney serving Winston-Salem, Clemmons, Mocksville, and the surrounding Triad communities. Estate planning consultations are complimentary.
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