Estate
Planning
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The Johnson Law Firm of Greenwood has been helping clients plan their estates since the firm's opening in 1983. Many people ask, "What is the difference between estate planning and probate?" Attorney James C. Johnson explains that estate planning is the planning of your estate so that your affairs are in order when you pass. The goal is to minimize the amount of your estate that is lost (to creditors and the like). Alternatively, probate in South Carolina is the administration and management of a decedent's estate; it is the opening and completing the estate after death.
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Estate planning includes the following areas of law:
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Last Will and Testament
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Trusts
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Durable Power of Attorney
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Healthcare Power of Attorney
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Living Will
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Deeds
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Remainder Interest Deeds
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Deeds of Distribution
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Life Estates
If you are interested in learning more about these areas of law or want an experienced attorney to represent you in the estate planning process, please give us a call.
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WHEN SHOULD I WRITE MY WILL
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Unless you know what day your soul will leave this Earth, tomorrow is too late to write your Will. Having a say over your property after death starts today.
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WHAT HAPPENS IF I DON'T HAVE A WILL
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If you have no Will, the State of South Carolina determines where your property goes and who becomes your personal representative (the administrator of the estate).
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HOW DO I GET A POWER OF ATTORNEY
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To obtain a power of attorney in South Carolina, it is important to know the pros and cons of transferring your powers to another person. The best step is likely to contact an experienced attorney to sort out whether a healthcare or durable power of attorney is in your best interest.
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EXPERIENCED ESTATE PLANNING ATTORNEY
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Estate planning has many ins and outs. If you want to write a Will, amend a Will (codicil), draft a trust, execute a power of attorney, or work on a deed, it is important to know the law. Attorney James C. Johnson is centrally located in the Upstate, however, he is happy to travel throughout the state, from Greenwood, to Columbia, to Charleston. Give us a call today.
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