I have an Estate Plan, Now What? – Durham NC Estate Planning

Once you have met with a Durham estate planning attorney and created your Will, Power of Attorney, Healthcare Power of Attorney, and Living Will, you may be asking yourself what to do with these documents. Your Durham estate planning attorneys are here to help.

Will:

It is very important to keep your Will in a safe place along with other important documents you may have. If you have a fireproof safe, that may be one of the best places for it. You may also deposit your will for safekeeping with the county clerk. Make sure you let your loved ones know where the Will is located and how they can get it. You may also want to provide a copy to your loved ones, but make sure to keep the original for yourself.

Power of Attorney:

Your Power of Attorney gets sent to the Register of Deeds in your county. You can either present it in person or mail it. The cost to file your Power of Attorney is $26 and most counties accept check, cash, or money order. If you are mailing your Power of Attorney in, do not mail cash. The Register of Deeds will record your Power of Attorney and mail back your original document. Like with your Will, it is important to keep your Power of Attorney in a safe place. You can also provide copies to your loved ones and any institutions that may need to know.

Healthcare Power of Attorney & Living Will:

Your Healthcare Power of Attorney and Living Will are filed with the Secretary of State in North Carolina. There is a $10 filing fee for each document you file. Like with the Power of Attorney, cash, check, and money order are accepted, though you should not send cash through the mail. The Secretary of State will file your documents and mail the originals back to you, along with a registry card that contains your file number and a password to access your documents online. You should make sure to carry the cards in your wallet in case something happens to you so emergency workers know your wishes. Once you get your original documents back, you should keep them in a safe place. You can provide copies to your loved ones as well as to your medical doctors and professionals.