Welcome to the Carolina Insurance Shopper serving the Cornelius. Our goal is provide you a one stop shopping resource in Cornelius for all types of insurance and estate planning needs. We are independent from any carrier, thus our sincere desire is to help you find the product that meets your particular needs and budget from the large market place. We provide years of experience and industry knowledge in the Cornelius area to assist you in making the best choice possible regarding your insurance needs.

Establishing an estate plan is a very important step, that when done properly, can save you and your loved ones needless expenses, hardship and heartache. When setting out to create a Will and other estate planning documents, careful consideration should be given to several items. Below, we have listed the most commonly utilized documents and the key decisions that pertain to each. You should give careful thought to these items, and if married, discuss them with your spouse.

PERSONAL WILL. This document allows you to decide who gets what you leave behind. Without it, the State already has a distribution scheme for you, and not one you probably would have chosen. Your Will also allows you to name the people you trust to act as your personal representatives rather than leaving those decisions to a court. Probably the most important thing a Will does for people with minor children is to allow for the naming of guardians. Your Will gives broad powers and eliminates many expenses that would be incurred without it. You need to make numerous decisions in connection with your Will such as who your Beneficiary(ies) are, your Specific Bequests, Guardians, Trustees, etc.  We will discuss these areas with you in detail so you make an informed, comfortable decision.  al items.

Other related documents we may discuss with you include:

DURABLE POWER OF ATTORNEY. This document allows you to name someone (Attorney In Fact) to act on your behalf if you become incapacitated or are absent for an extended period of time. By preparing a Power of Attorney while you are of sound mind, you save yourself and your loved ones potential expense, time delays, difficulties and humiliation. You should appoint your Attorney In Fact. Most married people appoint the spouse, but you may choose anyone over the age of 18 that you trust.

HEALTHCARE POWER OF ATTORNEY. This document works much like the Durable Power of Attorney but for a different purpose. You appoint someone (Healthcare Agent) to make medical decisions for you if you are unable to do so. Most married people choose the spouse for this role. You should name an alternate.

LIVING WILL. This document expresses your wish not to be kept alive by extraordinary means if you are terminally and incurably ill. It takes the burden of making this difficult decision away from loved ones and can save tremendous amounts of money in medical expense.

LIVING TRUST. This document allows you to gain benefits without the pitfalls of some other forms of ownership. You have additional control over your affairs, especially if you become incapacitated. Your trust estate avoids probate (at both deaths, if married) thus eliminating the expenses, delays and publicity associated with probate. Depending upon the size of your estate, your loved ones can save tens of thousands of dollars in estate taxes. Since you control everything during your lifetime, you need to appoint an Alternate Trustee to step in when you die or if you become incapacitated. Your Beneficiaries of the Trust may be the same people you considered in your Will or anyone of your choosing.

Call us to arrange a time to discuss your Estate Planning document needs.