Lincolnton North Carolina Legal Blog

Do single, childless adults need an estate plan?

On behalf of The Jonas Law Firm, P.L.L.C. posted in Estate Planning on Wednesday, March 13, 2019.

Adults who don't have children might wonder why they should have an estate plan in place. They might not have anyone that is counting on their support when they pass away. Even if you don't have any dependents, you can still set up the estate plan.

One thing to remember when you are in this position is that not having an estate plan means that the state's intestate laws will apply to your assets. The state has a predetermined method of distributing things if you pass away without an estate plan. If you don't have anyone who meets the criteria, the assets remain with the state.

Parenting plan terms must be handled carefully

On behalf of The Jonas Law Firm, P.L.L.C. posted in Family Law on Friday, March 1, 2019.

The parenting plan that you and your ex agree to can have a big impact on your children. It is important that you try to get the terms set as quickly as possible because your children can settle into the new way of life, including the schedule, when you have everything set. We know that this isn't always easy, but it is important that you try to work things out so that you can move forward and help your children to do the same.

When you are trying to figure out what to include in the custody agreement, remember that the focus has to be the children. Everything in the parenting plan has to be based on their needs. Trying to put the focus on the adults will almost certainly make things more difficult.

Missteps can invalidate some or all of your will

On behalf of The Jonas Law Firm, P.L.L.C. on Friday, February 22, 2019.

Estate planning is a prudent step for North Carolina readers of all income levels, including those who do not have vast wealth or valuable assets. By making the effort to plan for what will happen after you pass, you can have a say over what happens to your stuff, who gets what and even plan for the care of your beloved pet. There are many benefits to planning ahead, regardless of money, health status or age.

If you are ready to move forward with the estate planning process, you would be wise to first take the time to learn about the process. Common estate planning mistakes can cost you dearly and ultimately invalidate some or all of your plans. This doesn't have to happen to you.

Stress can cause serious problems for children

On behalf of The Jonas Law Firm, P.L.L.C. posted in Family Law on Friday, February 15, 2019.

Divorce is hard on children, so parents must ensure that they are watching for signs that their children are getting stressed. There are many signs that can point to this possibility, so pay close attention to how your children are faring.

Stress can cause many things to happen to kids. One of the primary considerations is that divorce impacts their emotional health. This can lead to them struggling in different ways, including in their ability to cope with changes.

Know your rights and options during your criminal case

On behalf of The Jonas Law Firm, P.L.L.C. posted in Criminal Defense on Friday, February 1, 2019.

When you are facing a criminal charge, you are going to have to make some very serious decisions. The first one that might come up is whether you will speak to investigators or not. Remember that you do have constitutional rights. One of these is that you don't have to answer questions without having your lawyer present. It is usually a good idea to clearly invoke this right so that you don't say anything that will implicate you in a crime.

We understand that you might have some questions about what's going on right now, especially if this is your first time in the criminal justice system. We are here to help you learn about the options that you have in your case. These can vary greatly depending on the circumstances, so don't try to rely on what someone else did with their case unless yours is exactly like theirs.

Try to choose your battles in child custody situations

On behalf of The Jonas Law Firm, P.L.L.C. posted in Family Law on Friday, January 18, 2019.

Transitioning to a co-parenting model for child custody isn't easy. This model relies heavily on you and your ex being able to work together. This doesn't mean that you will always agree, so you should have some guidelines for how you will handle conflicts. Guidelines can definitely take some of the stress out of disagreements -- but so can remembering that every disagreement doesn't have to result in a battle in the first place.

In other words, you can learn to choose your battles over the kids with your ex.

Know what components you should include in your medical care

On behalf of The Jonas Law Firm, P.L.L.C. posted in Estate Planning on Friday, January 4, 2019.

There are many things that you can do when you are creating an estate plan. Before you try to get things together, you need to consider what goals you have for your loved ones after you pass away. Keeping this in mind as you go through the process might help you make decisions that can help you realize that goal. We can help you come up with an estate plan that addresses those points.

Remember that your estate plan encompasses more than just the plans that you have for after you pass away. You can also plan for what is going to happen if you are unable to make decisions for yourself. It might not be easy to think about that and to plan for it, but it can certainly take some of the stress off your loved ones if you have everything in line.

Clearing up confusion about powers of attorney

On behalf of The Jonas Law Firm, P.L.L.C. on Wednesday, December 26, 2018.

Like many in North Carolina, you may wonder what will happen to you and your belongings if you should become ill or incapacitated. This may be weighing more heavily on your mind if you are experiencing medical issues or a decline in your overall health. Perhaps you have even considered including a power of attorney document in your estate plan, but you have heard confusing information about POAs.

Before you dismiss this important option, you should take the time to learn as much as possible about its benefits. You may find that having a POA in your plan gives you more peace of mind once you clear up any misconceptions you may have.

North Carolina residents seek refunds for storm-damaged rentals

On behalf of The Jonas Law Firm, P.L.L.C. posted in Real Estate on Friday, December 21, 2018.

The North Carolina Real Estate Commission has received more than 100 complaints from people who paid to rent a vacation property but couldn't use it because of storm damage.

The vacationers all have the same complaint: They want their money back.

Ensure you are handling the adoption process correctly

On behalf of The Jonas Law Firm, P.L.L.C. posted in Family Law on Friday, December 7, 2018.

Adopting a child is a very special decision that an adult can make. When you are going through this situation, you need to make sure that you are thinking about the entire situation instead of focusing only on the finalization of the adoption. We know that you've probably put considerable thought into this decision. We are here to help you throughout the process.

There are many questions that might come up as you go through the necessary steps. We can help you learn about what's likely to come so that you are better prepared for the matter. Since these cases are all unique, you shouldn't try to base your decisions on what another person experienced when they went through the adoption process.