Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM 16 UCW JANUARY 6-12, 2021 LEGALLY SPEAKING REBECCA BRITTON, Cofounder of Britton Law. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomingweekly.com. 910-484-6200. At the end of this challeng- ing year as many consider New Year's resolutions, I'd like to suggest a few "legal" resolu- tions to seriously consider: FIRST: Make a will. A will is a legal document that outlines your wishes and, generally, it must be followed should some- thing happen to you. Without a will, merely telling your family your wishes will not affect how your estate is handled because North Carolina's "default rules" control what happens to your property. A will makes it crystal clear how you want your prop- erty to be managed and allows you to designate a specific per- son to carry out your wishes. SECOND: Execute a power of attorney. What if you, for whatever reason, become un- able to make your own deci- sions? If you have a power of attorney, then you can desig- nate a trusted person to make those decisions when you can't make them yourself. Without a power of attorney, if you're unable to handle your matters, then most likely, the courts will make decisions for you. THIRD: Execute a living will & healthcare power of attorney. What if you are sick and unable to make medical decisions for yourself? Do you have someone that you trust to make those decisions? Do they know what you want and what you don't? A living will and healthcare power of attorney will make clear who that deci- sion-maker is if you cannot make health care decisions for yourself and a living will makes clear what your choic- es are. is also takes the stress off your loved ones – they know who the decision-maker is and what your wishes are. Other- wise, the courts may decide what happens to you. FOURTH: Organize. None of the three resolutions above are worth the paper they're printed on if your loved ones can't find them. Get your essential documents in one place. is includes any insurance policies – life, health, auto and other- wise, as well as your banking, investing, retirement account information, vehicle titles, etc. en, make sure that someone you trust knows where that information is kept and has access to them. My final suggestion is to seek legal counsel to create the legal documents. I know there are lots of cheap – if not free – forms on the internet, but, frankly, you get what you pay for. A North Carolina licensed attorney experienced in this area of law will ensure you are protected by drafting these documents correctly and cus- tomizing them to your needs. I encourage people who haven't completed these legal must-haves to tackle them sooner rather than later. None of us like to think about "what ifs" and it is so easy to put things off, yet so difficult when you need these protections in place and don't have them. New Year's legal resolutions by REBECCA BRITTON A resolution to seek legal counsel to ensure wills, powers of attorney and estate documents are in order is a wise way to start a new year. ENJOYING A NEW SHOWER IS EASIER THAN YOU THINK *Oer valid only while supplies last. Limit one per household. Must be first time purchase. Minimum spend amount applies. Financing subject to third party credit approval. Some financing options cannot be combined with other oers and may require minimum monthly payments. All oers subject to change prior to purchase. See AmericanStandardShowers.com for other restrictions and for licensing, warranty, and company information. CSLB B982796; Suolk NY: 55431H;NYC:HIC 2022748-DCA. Safety Tubs Co. LLC does not sell in Nassau NY, Westchester NY, Putnam NY, Rockland NY. NEW SHOWER DESIGN ENJOYING A FREE IN-HOME DESIGN CONSULTATION CALL TODAY 150 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE newshowerdeal.com/up | 877-545-2439 *Some restrictions and limitations may apply. Subject to credit approval and credit history. MAIN OFFICE 2917 VILLAGE DRIVE, FAYET TEVILLE D OWNTOWN 201 HAY STREET, FAYET TEVILLE SP OUT SPRINGS 1570 HWY. 87/24, CAMERON Apply Online at BraggMutual.org Equal Credit Opportunity Lender HOME IMPROVEMENTS? WE OFFER 100 % FINANCING FOR Home Equity Loans