August 20, 2020
Merline & Meacham, P.A. receives multiple awards by Best Lawyers® for 2021
Merline & Meacham, P.A. is pleased to announce our inclusion in the 2021 U.S. News – Best Lawyers ® rankings.
The following were selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© for 2021: Robert E. August in the fields of Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law, Corporate Law, Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Tax Law, and Trusts and Estates; Verne McGough Jr. selected in the fields of Tax Law and Trusts and Estates; Keith G. Meacham in Business Organizations (including LLCs and partnerships), Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law, Litigation – Trusts and Estates, Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Nonprofit/Charities Law, Tax Law, and Trusts and Estates; David A. Merline Jr. in the fields of Corporate Law, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Litigation – ERISA, Litigation – Trusts and Estates, Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Nonprofit/Charities Law, Tax Law, and Trusts and Estates; Marie Monroe in the fields of Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law, Employee Benefit (ERISA) Law, Nonprofit/Charities Law, Trusts and Estates; and Douglas B. O’Neal in Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Tax Law, and Trusts and Estates.
In addition, David A. Merline Jr. was named the Best Lawyers ® 2021 Corporate Law “Lawyer of the Year” in Greenville, S.C while Keith Meacham received the Best Lawyers® 2021 Litigation and Controversy – Tax “Lawyer of the Year” award. Robert August was also recognized by Best Lawyers® as the 2021 Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships) “Lawyer of the Year” award winner. Finally, Andrew Merline received a 2021 Best Lawyers®: One to Watch recognition for Trusts and Estates.
“We are thrilled to have members of our team recognized by Best Lawyers®. Receiving this honor is a special distinction that signals a unique combination of excellence and breadth of expertise,” says David A. Merline Jr. “We look forward to continuing to provide the highest quality legal work for the upstate for many years to come.”
May 7, 2020
Drafting your will using online tools can lead to unwanted outcomes
The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has refocused people’s thoughts on the health and safety of their families. In addition to taking the necessary steps today to protect your loved ones, it’s equally important to consider their financial security in the future.
If you don’t have a will, drafting one should be your first step in developing a comprehensive estate plan. Because of stay-at-home orders in many states, it may be tempting to turn to online do-it-yourself (DIY) tools that promise to help you create a will (and other estate planning documents). Even though this may be a relatively cheap option, using these online tools is risky except in the simplest cases.
A will that isn’t executed properly under state law isn’t legally binding. Therefore, your assets may be divided according to state intestacy laws, regardless of your intentions. And, if you have young children, a court may appoint their legal guardian.
No “one-size-fits-all” solution
Despite what you might have read online, there’s no single prototype for wills. It’s complicated because the laws can vary widely from state to state. For instance, some states recognize oral wills, while others don’t. Or a state may require two or even three attesting witnesses.
One common mistake of DIY wills is leaving out important provisions that can lead to challenges in the future. Case in point: If the will doesn’t include a residuary clause addressing amounts that are “left over” after estate debts and tax payments have been settled, an unspecified party could walk away with a large sum of money. It might even be a family member you had wanted to “disinherit.”
Turn to a professional
The bottom line is that there is too much risk by taking shortcuts when it comes to drafting your will. Have your will drafted and executed by a reputable attorney. Questions? Contact us.
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