Executors and Successor Trustees

Another good article about who to choose to handle your affairs if you become incapacitated or pass away.

http://www.estateplanning.com/who-should-be-your-successor-trustee/

DIY Wills cost more

Good article on the issues we find that cause problems in the probate process when someone prepared their own will.  Spending a few hundred dollars for a properly prepared will can save thousands of dollars of legal issues in the probate process.

http://www.estateplanning.com/Should-You-Trust-Online-Legal-Document-Services/

Politically Correct Attorney Holiday Wishes :)

Please accept without obligation, explicit or implicit, our best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, politically correct, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral, celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion or secular practice of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions.

Please also accept, under aforesaid waiver of obligation on your part, our best wishes for a financially successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of this calendar year of the Common Era, but with due respect for the calendars of all cultures or sects, and for the race, creed, colour, age, physical ability, religious faith, choice of computer platform or dietary preference of the wishee.

By accepting this greeting you acknowledge that:

This greeting is subject to further clarification or withdrawal at the wishor's discretion.

This greeting is freely transferable provided that no alteration shall be made to the original greeting and that the proprietary rights of the wishor are acknowledged.

This greeting implies no warranty on the part of the wishors to fulfill these wishes, nor any ability of the wishors to do so, merely a beneficent hope on the part of the wishors that they in fact occur.

This greeting may not be enforceable in certain jurisdictions and/or the restrictions herein may not be binding upon certain wishees in certain jurisdictions and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wishors.

This greeting is warranted to perform as reasonably may be expected within the usual application of good tidings, for a period of one year or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first.

The wishor warrants this greeting only for the limited replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wishor.

Estate Map & Estate Planning for Digital Assets

We have partnered with Estate Map https://estatemap.com/ to provide a new service for clients to keep all of their records electronically, detailing their assets, passwords, funeral plans, etc. to pass on if they become incapacitated or if and when they pass away.

Our partnership with Estate Map provides a 20% discount to clients for their first year (making the initial cost $76 instead of $95, and then the $24/year cost applies.  Enter Referral Code: wenzellaw

Also, if you choose to use Estate Map, link us in as your legal advisor, and we can upload your documents, and you can share your information with us if you wish.

There are also many other sites that provide services related to digital assets after your death.  Here are some articles, especially mentioning Facebook accounts.

Article: http://www.lawyersmutualnc.com/blog/data-of-the-dead

List of services: http://www.thedigitalbeyond.com/online-services-list/

Here is some information about Estate Map.  https://estatemap.com/

IRS Announces $5,450,000 estate tax exemption for 2016

The IRS has announced that the inflationary adjustment shall result in an estate tax exclusion of $5,450,000 for those passing away in 2016.

The amount has been $5,430,000 for 2015 so that amount has not increased as much as it had in the past few years.  (2014 $5,340,000)

New Estate/Probate Staff - Joi Frederick

Please help us in welcoming Joi Frederick to our Estate/Probate team.  She joins Tiffany Hudson in working with attorney Sarah P. Wenzel.

Staff Changes

For those of you who have worked with us for years, you may notice some changes around the office.

When you first call the office or come by, you will meet Rachel.  She has a legal assistant degree and is also our receptionist. Please help us in welcoming her to Waynesville and our office, as she helps you.

Tiffany, who has become a familiar face and voice, has moved to the probate and estates department, working for Sarah Wenzel, where she is continuing to assist clients.

Laura, who was with our firm for over 11 years, has moved out of the area.  She will be missed.  If you had been working closely with Laura, Tiffany has taken over her role on many of the estate files, working of course with Sarah.  Tricia is also current on the information on most of those files as well.