Estate Planning

The Dunnuck Law Firm prepares estate plans to meet individual client’s needs. Regardless of income level, age or marital status, everyone should have an estate plan.  Estate planning enables an individual to protect their family’s security and ensure that their important individual objectives are achieved.

Most estates include the following four types of documents:

  • Last Will and Testament
  • General Durable Power of Attorney
  • Health Care Power of Attorney
  • Living Will

What is a Will?
Wills are testamentary documents which allow you to determine who will receive your property after your death.

Why is it important to have a Will?
Dying without a will is known as dying “intestate.” If an individual dies intestate, their property will be distributed according to the North Carolina Statutes, regardless of what the individual may have wanted during their lifetime.
Dying intestate can create undue stress and uncertainty for family and loved ones. Planning in advance can help make the difficult time of your passing easier for your loved ones.

What is a General Durable Power of Attorney?
A general durable power of attorney appoints another person, to act as your “agent” in all of your personal matters, including financial, in the event that you are physically or mentally incapacitated.

What is a Health Care Power of Attorney?
A health care power of attorney is a document that names an individual as your “agent” to make important health care decisions for you if you are not able to do so. This document enables you to instruct your agent on what to do given certain, specific circumstances and also allows your agent to make critical decisions that you may not have anticipated.

What is a Living Will?
A living will is also known as a Declaration of a Desire for Natural Death. In a living will, an individual may elect to instruct their physician to withhold or even withdraw life sustaining measures in the event of a terminal condition or permanent unconsciousness. The Dunnuck Law Firm will assist you with making specific decisions about nutrition or life support in the event that you are ever in the position of being unable to communicate your desires to a physician or loved ones.