Catawba County Estate Planning Lawyer

Making an estate plan helps you protect the future of your estate and eases the legal process for your loved ones after your death. A good estate plan can minimize the time your loved ones have to spend gathering and administering your estate and can reduce the costs and time spent in probate court. To create a strong and enforceable estate plan, you need a Catawba County estate planning lawyer. The right lawyer can help with each step of creating your plan.

Protecting Your Future With a Skilled Catawba County Estate Planning Attorney

For 20 years, Cody Law Firm has helped individuals and families plan for their futures with estate planning. We can assess your needs and goals for estate planning and help you create enforceable documents that meet your wishes. With more than 30 years of collective legal experience, our team has the knowledge and resources you need.

It can be difficult to consider the questions posed by an estate plan, but our firm is dedicated to carefully guiding you through the creation of your plan to safeguard your legacy.

Estate Planning Documents in Catawba County

An estate plan is highly customizable, allowing you to include the documents you need and tailor those documents to your wishes, your estate, and the needs of your loved ones. Many legal tools can be used in a complete estate plan, and some of the foundational documents include:

A Last Will and Testament

A will is a basic document that is filed in probate court after your death and outlines specific wishes for your estate. In Catawba County, the probate court will likely be the Superior Court for District 19 at the Catawba County Justice Center.

When you create your will, you can outline:

• Who is in charge of administering the estate as your executor
• The individuals and entities that you want as beneficiaries of your assets
• How you want debts or expenses to be paid
• Who you want as the guardian of your minor children

As of 2025, only 32% of adults in the U.S. have a will, according to a survey by Pew Research Center. Without a will, your estate is divided according to state intestate laws, which give certain portions of your estate to specific surviving family members. When an estate is divided based on intestate succession laws, it can cause disagreements and disputes between family members, making the process longer and more costly.

Trusts

An estate plan can include one or more trusts. A trust is a legal entity that lets you transfer assets to the ownership of the trust while you are still alive. When you die, the assets in the trust remain under the care of the trustee, rather than entering probate court. Avoiding probate minimizes costs, time, and stress for your loved ones.

Creating a trust also enables you to outline when and how assets in the trust are used. This can help if you want to provide benefits to a loved one with spending issues or to a loved one who receives public benefits and cannot have assets over a certain threshold.

There is a 69.4% homeownership rate in Catawba County, and the median income was $70,674 per household based on 2024 U.S. Census Bureau data. A home and household income are often key assets that you want to transfer to your loved ones in your will or trust. A trust can better safeguard the value of your assets by avoiding the costs of the probate process.

Power of Attorney

Your estate plan also includes documents meant to protect your own well-being. If you are incapacitated and unable to manage your own affairs, a durable power of attorney document puts someone you trust in charge of those affairs. You can name a power of attorney for your healthcare decisions, financial responsibilities, and legal decisions. This document helps you protect your interests.

FAQs

How Much Does an Estate Have to Be Worth to Go to Probate in North Carolina?

If an estate is worth more than a certain amount, it likely must go through probate, but the amount varies depending on the circumstances. In North Carolina, estates can avoid probate with a Small Estate Affidavit for estates valued under $20,000, or for estates with the surviving spouse as the only heir and valued under $30,000. An individual can also create certain estate plans prior to their death, which can help an estate avoid probate.

Does a Beneficiary Have to Pay Taxes on a $100,000 Inheritance in North Carolina?

North Carolina does not have an inheritance tax, and the federal estate tax affects larger estates and is paid by the estate itself, so a beneficiary would not automatically have to pay taxes on a $100,000 inheritance in North Carolina. Depending on the type of asset the inheritance is, however, there could be taxes. This might include assets with income such as stocks or rental properties, inherited retirement accounts, and other specific assets.

Do You Need to Hire an Estate Planning Lawyer in Catawba County?

While not legally required, it’s important to hire an estate planning lawyer in Catawba County to create an estate plan that addresses your unique needs while being enforceable under state and county laws. An attorney can help you determine the documents needed to provide for your care and financial protection during your life and help outline financial support for your loved ones after your death. Working with an attorney makes creating the plan more straightforward.

How Much Does Estate Planning Cost in North Carolina?

The cost of estate planning in Catawba County, North Carolina depends on many specifics. More complex estate plans are more costly, like those with numerous trusts, complicated beneficiary designations, or high-value assets. Trusts are more costly than a will but also offer unique financial benefits.

Working with an attorney can increase overall costs but can also avoid future worries and costs for your loved ones, which is often one of the primary reasons to create an estate plan to begin with.

Reach Out to Cody Law Firm to Hire an Estate Planning Lawyer Today

When you decide to create an estate plan, it’s important that you do it right. At Cody Law Firm, we help you create a plan that is tailored to your unique needs. Reach out to our firm today to get started.

Catawba County Estate Planning Lawyer Reviews