Attorneys that focus on estate and probate law in North Carolina help clients resolve all facets of planning for the conservation and disposition of estates. Estate and probate lawyers must understand the state and federal tax burdens that apply to this area of the law. Estate and probate lawyers prepare the legal instruments to accomplish the estate plans including drafting and executing wills, administering formal and summary estates, including tax related matters. Attorneys also engage in probate litigation including will contests or will or trust construction suits in probate court.
National Association of Estate Planners and Councils - NAEPC is accredited by the ABA to certify attorneys as estate planning law specialists.
Board Certified Specialist in Estate Planning and Probate in North Carolina - Estate Planning and Probate was first proposed as a potential specialty area to the North Carolina Bar in 1982.
The North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization designated estate planning and probate law as a field of law for certification of specialists under the Plan of Legal Specialization.
State Bar Rules, Ch. 1, Subch. D, .2302, defines the specialty of estate planning and probate law as the "practice of law dealing with planning for conservation and disposition of estates, including consideration of federal and state tax consequences; preparation of legal instruments to effectuate estate plans; and probate of wills and administration of estates, including federal and state tax matters."
ACTEC is a fellowship of attorneys seeking to improve trust, estate and tax laws, as well as the procedures and ethics of attorneys who work in those fields. Many of the top trust and estate attorneys belong to this respected organization.