Did you know that one in two U.S. citizens have yet to create a plan for their estate? Just about everyone knows they need to get their affairs in order, but most people procrastinate when it comes to estate planning. It's an uncomfortable subject to think about. After all, nobody wants to ponder their death and what happens to their assets when they pass. However, working with an estate planning lawyer in Hilton Head Island, SC, protects you, your loved ones, and your assets, both while you're alive and after you have died. There isn't a perfect time to plan your estate, but there is a right time and that time is now.
We understand that there is no "one-size-fits-all" solution to your estate planning needs. That's why, at Cobb Hammett Law Firm, we make a concerted effort to speak with our clients personally so that we can create an estate plan that is as unique as they are. Our estate plans are comprehensive, cost-effective, and catered to you. That way, your family is provided if you are incapacitated or pass away.
At the end of the day, our goal is to make sure that every one of our clients leaves our office feeling less stressed and more informed. Peace of mind is valuable currency these days. Why worry about the future of your loved ones when you can use South Carolina law to ensure their stability?
Many of the clients in Hilton Head Island that walk through our doors have significant questions that require serious answers. They're filled with doubt, stress, and worry. They're worried about their children, their spouse, their relatives, or all the above. They ask questions like:
If these questions sound familiar, know that you are not alone. At Cobb Hammett Law Firm, we have worked with hundreds of clients just like you. Sometimes, these clients are unsatisfied with their current estate planning attorney in Hilton Head Island. Other times, they have been served with confusing papers or documents that leave them feeling overwhelmed. In either case, clients come to our office knowing they need to manage what is often a sudden, foreign situation.
The good news? We sit down with all new clients for an hour at no extra cost. We do so to get a basic sense of their situation and help steer them in the right direction. That way, they can leave our office feeling a little wiser and a lot better about the future.
Our firm specializes in several areas of estate planning and family law, including:
At Cobb Hammett, LLC, estate planning is like second nature to us. Having worked hundreds upon hundreds of cases, we have the knowledge and experience to assist with all the estate planning needs that you or your family have.
As our client, you will always work directly with your attorney. We do not pass cases off to paralegals or junior associates. Because your concerns and questions don't end when our office closes, we encourage our clients to contact us at any time.
Because we limit the number of cases we accept, we have the time and resources to truly dedicate ourselves to each of our clients. Unlike some competitors, we care about the outcome of every case because we know that our clients' future depends on it.
The word "estate" might make you think of a sprawling mansion in the French countryside. The truth is, you don't have to be rich to have an estate. In fact, most people already have an estate. An estate comprises the assets that a person owns like cars, bank accounts, real estate, businesses, and other possessions. Everyone's estate is different, but we all have one thing in common: none of us can take our estates with us when we die. When that does eventually happen, you will need legal instructions that state who gets what from your estate in plain terms.That, in a nutshell, is estate planning building a framework in advance that names the organizations or people that should receive your assets after you die. Planning your estate now helps make life much easier for your family down the line.
Contrary to popular belief, estate planning isn't just for adults who are approaching retirement age. Estate planning is for everyone. After all, we're all getting older, and none of us know exactly when it will be our time to go.
Although estate planning can be complicated, a well-rounded plan makes a huge difference in what is left to your beneficiaries. Before you start planning your estate, it's important to know a few common topics that may arise as you detail your needs.
Working with a veteran estate planning lawyer is a no-brainer, but you should consider working with a tax advisor too. Your attorney's role is to help guide you through the creation of your estate planning documents. Common documents include your will, health care directives, and power of attorney. Your tax advisor will help guide you through tax issues associated with your estate planning needs.
In this relationship, you make the decisions while your attorney and tax advisor help you understand and think through the options you're considering. As a team, they will help you state your wishes clearly while minimizing mistakes and adjusting your plans as they change. Because significant savings can result from thorough, informed planning, you should seriously consider working with a tax advisor in addition to your estate planning attorney.
If there were one overriding theme of estate planning, it would be maximizing what you plan to leave behind. Thinking through how each of your assets will be distributed is crucial to your estate. Your decisions may change depending on the type of asset, its size, how old you are, and several other factors. With an attorney on your side, you will gain a thorough understanding of what actions you should take to care for your family while minimizing expenses like taxes and court fees.
One of the biggest parts of maximizing what you're leaving behind is to minimize taxes. Federal taxes on estates and gifts are incredibly high. Both forms of taxes usually have exemption limits, which means you can give up to a specific amount without being taxed. Your lawyer can achieve that by using the gift tax exemption to move assets while you are still alive. This strategy maximizes how much your beneficiaries will receive.
Inheritance taxes are often based on the value of your estate and paid prior to asset distribution to your beneficiaries.
The executor of your estate plays a key role in your affairs. Their responsibilities include carrying out the terms of your will and seeing the estate settlement process through until the end. Obviously, such a role demands a qualified person. Choosing your executor isn't an easy decision. The person you select should be great at managing money, be savvy financially, and show an ability to be patient. That's because the executor is tasked with:
If the person that you choose as executor is inexperienced with the estate settlement process, it is recommended that they lean on an estate planning attorney in Hilton Head Island, SC for guidance. It should be noted that you may appoint more than a single executor to your estate. This is common when two individuals have complementary personalities or skill sets.
One of the biggest benefits of planning your estate is the peace of mind it brings to you and your family. With the help of our expert estate planning attorneys, you have the power to protect your assets, privacy, and children's welfare. You can also potentially save money on taxes or even avoid probate. By having your wishes legally documented before death or incapacity, you can minimize any impact on your beneficiaries and take control of your legacy. Without a comprehensive estate plan, you're leaving the future of your loved ones in the hands of the South Carolina court system.
With an estate plan in place, you can plan for incapacity by using a power of attorney or advanced medical directives. Doing so relieves your loved ones of the burden of asking the court for the authority to fulfill your wishes.
At Cobb Hammett Law Firm, we are committed to helping you prepare for both the expected and unexpected through years of experience and a fierce dedication to our clients. From establishing trusts to designing business succession plans, we are here to fight for you.
If a husband and wife each purchase reciprocating will packages we give a discount. Reciprocating just means the husband names the wife and the wife names the husband. Those four documents are:
As mentioned above, everyone's estate planning needs will be different. However, most plans include one or more of the following documents:
Your will is an essential piece of documentation and is often considered the cornerstone of a proper estate plan. Generally speaking, your will is a document that dictates the distribution of your assets after your death. Having an iron-clad will is one of the best ways to make sure that your wishes are communicated clearly. As is the case with most estate planning, it is highly recommended that you work with an estate planning attorney in Hilton Head Island, SC, to create and update your will.
The contents of a will typically include:
Without a will in place, the State of South Carolina will decide how to distribute assets to your beneficiaries. Allowing the state to distribute your assets is often an unfavorable route to take, since the settlement process may not include what you had in mind for your survivors. Having a will drafted that reflects your wishes will prevent such a situation from happening.
Despite its name, a living will does not instruct your survivors on what assets go where. Also called an advanced directive, your living will allows you to state your end-of-life medical wishes if you have become unable to communicate. This important document provides guidance to family members and doctors and solidifies certain issues like whether you should be resuscitated after an accident.
For example, it's common to direct that palliative care (care to decrease pain and suffering) always be administered if needed. Conversely, you may state that certain measures are not allowed, like CPR.
Traditionally, a trust is used to minimize estate taxes and maximize other benefits as part of a well-rounded estate plan. This fiduciary agreement lets a trustee hold your assets on behalf of your beneficiaries. There are many ways to arrange a trust to specify when and how your assets are distributed.
With a trust in place, your beneficiaries can avoid going to probate. That means they may be able to gain access to your assets quicker than when they are transferred with a standard will. Assets placed in a trust can pass outside of probate, which will save you and your family time, money, and stress.
There are two distinct trust categories that you should be aware of: revocable and irrevocable.
Also called a living trust, a revocable trust helps assets circumvent probate. With this trust, you can control your assets while you are still alive. These trusts are flexible and may be dissolved at any point in time. This type of trust becomes irrevocable upon your death. Revocable trusts can help you avoid the pitfalls of probate but be aware that they are usually still taxable.
This kind of trust transfers assets out of your estate so that they are not taxed and do not have to go through probate. However, once an irrevocable trust has been executed, it may not be altered. That means that once you establish this kind of trust, you lose control of its assets and cannot dissolve the trust. If your primary goal is to avoid taxes on your estate, setting up an irrevocable could be a wise choice.
When drafted with the help of an estate planning lawyer in Hilton Head Island, SC, your trust can also:
When constructed properly, a trust can protect your estate from your heirs' creditors. This can be a huge relief for beneficiaries who might need to brush up on money management skills.
Probate records are made available for public consumption. With a trust, you may have the choice of having your assets pass outside of probate court so that they remain private. In the process, you may also save money that you would lose to taxes and court fees.
Because you can specify the exact terms of a trust, you have more control over who receives your assets and when they receive them. As an example, you can set up a revocable trust so that your assets are attainable while you're alive. When you pass, remaining assets are distributed, even in complex situations involving children from multiple marriages.
If you know that you need to provide for your family and loved ones after your death, it's time to develop your estate plan. With Cobb Hammett Law Firm by your side, planning your estate doesn't have to be difficult. However, it does need to be accurate and executed exactly to your wishes something that we have been helping clients achieve for years. Don't leave your legacy up to chance contact our office today and secure your future generations.
CONTACT USNashville, Tenn.It is days like Saturday where Shane Beamer has to wish his team played an NFL schedule. Could they play until January? Maybe a 17-game schedule?Just a little more time. Please. Because for three straight games now, South Carolina has looked like one of the best teams in America.It has a bruising rushing attack that seems bound to pop a firework twice a game. It has a defense that looks like a bonfire inside a beehive — so much chaos in such little space. The Gamecocks are suffocating, relentless de...
Nashville, Tenn.
It is days like Saturday where Shane Beamer has to wish his team played an NFL schedule. Could they play until January? Maybe a 17-game schedule?
Just a little more time. Please. Because for three straight games now, South Carolina has looked like one of the best teams in America.
It has a bruising rushing attack that seems bound to pop a firework twice a game. It has a defense that looks like a bonfire inside a beehive — so much chaos in such little space. The Gamecocks are suffocating, relentless destructors. No. 24 Vanderbilt figured that out Saturday.
South Carolina (6-3, 4-3 SEC) came out of Nashville with a 28-7 win and became bowl-eligible for the first time in two seasons.
“It’s extra special tonight just coming off the (5-7) season we had last year,” Beamer said. “Very few people thought we would — I saw a lot of those preseason projections and they certainly didn’t have us winning six games this season.”
This Commodores (6-4, 3-3 SEC) are like the little engine that could. Led by their 6-foot, 207-pound quarterback Diego Pavia, they have already beaten No. 1 Alabama, Kentucky, Virginia Tech and were within a field goal of knocking off No. 5 Texas. This team makes magic. Leave the door open and you leave open the possibility of Pavia doing something insane to put his team back in the game.
Well, South Carolina kept that thing super-glued.
It shut out Vanderbilt in the first half, highlighted by a forced fumble and recovery by edge rusher Kyle Kennard in the red zone. In the second half, Pavia was phenomenal and found the end zone out of the gate. He had a spark. Then South Carolina turned over the Commodores on downs the next two drives.
It was over. And the stats don’t tell the whole truth.
Yes, the Gamecocks sacked Pavia just twice, but sadly there is no stat for how many times a quarterback has to retreat back 30 yards, spin out of a tackle then just heave the ball toward the moon. That seemed to occur about every other play Saturday.
“We hold the defense to a different-type of standard,“ linebacker Debo Williams said. “Like, they ain’t scoring. We’re mad they got seven (points).”
It was, yet again, another night where it felt like South Carolina’s defense could beat anyone in the country. Another night where the LSU and Alabama losses loom large because, if the Gamecocks won just one of those, they’d be in the playoff conversation.
Unfortunately, the time machine doesn’t exist. If it did, though, Rocket Sanders might be in the front of the line.
The Gamecocks running back, who transferred from Arkansas this offseason, dealt with injuries for the first part of the season and was just mundane. Heading into November, he had racked up just 426 yards on the ground. Some put the blame on his offensive line — and that’s fair — but Sanders lacked explosion.
Then came the bye week. Sanders said he spent hours on the Stairmaster, which doesn’t seem like the secret formula to the foundation of youth, but Sanders may have begun some studies. Since that bye week, he has totaled 270 rushing yards, 144 receiving yards and five total touchdowns.
“The key thing is trusting it,” Sanders said. “On the field, just trusting it. And being very coachable helped me out a lot.”
Against Vanderbilt, he made the Commodores defenders look like they were on the Stairmaster, averaging over 8 yards per carry. He was zigging and zagging his way all over the field, hitting the hole with an urgency and fierceness that was lacking early on.
South Carolina now has three more regular-season games and a bowl game remaining. If they win out, the Gamecocks will reach 10 wins for just the fifth time in school history. After these past two weeks, it doesn’t seem impossible.
This story was originally published November 9, 2024, 7:25 PM.
After a 28-7 win over Vanderbilt, South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer said he was proud of his team’s performance and spoke to the media following the game at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville.“Really, really proud of our football team coming into this stadium. This ain’t an easy place to play for a lot of reasons,” Beamer said. “To come in here against anot...
After a 28-7 win over Vanderbilt, South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer said he was proud of his team’s performance and spoke to the media following the game at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville.
“Really, really proud of our football team coming into this stadium. This ain’t an easy place to play for a lot of reasons,” Beamer said. “To come in here against another ranked team and have another three-touchdown win over an SEC team, to become bowl-eligible as well, to become the first South Carolina team since 2011 to win three SEC road games is a huge accomplishment. Just really, really happy for our guys.
“Everyone thought there’d be a letdown coming off last week. To come in here and know it was gonna be a tough, gritty, hard game just because of the way Vandy plays football — it’s really satisfying for us as a football team.
“We’ve got a lot more to accomplish in these next three games: our final SEC home game of the year, our final SEC game of the year next week back in Williams-Brice
“But awesome night tonight. And thanks to our fans, it sounded like Williams-Brice Stadium in there at times tonight. For it to be a sold-out crowd here at Vanderbilt, but the most noise was made by the Carolina fans throughout the night — best fans in the world and grateful for them.”
Beamer told reporters that starting safety DQ Smith “tweaked something” in pregame warmups and had to be replaced in the lineup by Peyton Williams. Starting offensive tackle Josiah Thompson was injured in the game and has a lower body issue, Beamer said. “I hope Josiah’s OK. I don’t think it’s anything serious.”
“I like the way that we responded to adversity, whether it be the defense when Vanderbilt was in scoring position ... we did a really good job,” Beamer said.
Vanderbilt pushed the ball to the USC 40-yard line or closer on three different occasions without putting points on the board.
“We’ve got a special group of guys, and that’s what I’m so excited about,” Beamer said, referring making a bowl game this year. “I mean, it’s like last year not going to a bowl game. And one of the biggest reasons is, obviously, we were 5-7.
“But not having another month with that team, because that team was so much fun to coach. So I just told the locker room, it’s so awesome that we get at least another month together as a football team after the end of the regular season.”
After defeating then-No. 10 Texas A&M in Williams-Brice Stadium last week, USC wasn’t placed on either the AP Top 25 or the College Football Playoff rankings, to the surprise of Beamer.
“The people that do the rankings don’t think we’re worth the crap, and that’s fine,” Beamer said. “Keep crapping on us. That’s the way we like it as well. Don’t rank us this week. We’re good where we are.
“We just like to just lay low and work really, really hard and come out and have fun on Saturdays as well.”
“I promised Sir Big Spur I would do this: Disappointed that Sir Big Spur’s not here. I think it’s ridiculous,” Beamer said. “This is the only place, apparently, in the SEC that doesn’t allow live mascots in the stadium.
“And that’s what makes this league special... The fact that LSU can have a freaking tiger at their stadium tonight, and we can’t bring Sir Big Spur.
“So Sir Big Spur came over and gave us a send-off before we left the facility yesterday, and I told him I would say hello to Sir Big Spur in the press conference. So, we miss you guys. Come off Vandy. Do better.”
Since Vanderbilt won’t let live mascots attend their games we went to campus to send off @GamecockFB today. I gave them a message to deliver. Go #Gamecocks!Leave no doubt!!!! pic.twitter.com/7rjypLNnMG
— Sir Big Spur (@2001sirbigspur) November 9, 2024
This story was originally published November 9, 2024, 8:40 PM.
A roundup of Friday night’s action as final week of regular season for public schools and first round of the SCISA playoffs.The Seahawks (8-2) wrapped up their most successful regular season in a decade with a dominating performance on Friday night.Hilton Head Island has won eight games for the first time since 2015 when it had a 10-win season. The Seahawks will host a first-round playoff game in the 4A playoffs next week.Seahawk running back Troy Timko rushed for 270 yards and three touchdowns. Thaddeus Czarnecki ...
A roundup of Friday night’s action as final week of regular season for public schools and first round of the SCISA playoffs.
The Seahawks (8-2) wrapped up their most successful regular season in a decade with a dominating performance on Friday night.
Hilton Head Island has won eight games for the first time since 2015 when it had a 10-win season. The Seahawks will host a first-round playoff game in the 4A playoffs next week.
Seahawk running back Troy Timko rushed for 270 yards and three touchdowns. Thaddeus Czarnecki added 127 yards and a TD. QB Derrick Raniszewski threw a TD pass and ran for one.
Carson Haines caught three passes for 63 yards and a TD.
Bluffton also will be in the Class 4A playoffs.
Owen Mayers threw a TD pass and ran for one as the Barons defeated JP2 in the first round of the SCISA 3A playoffs.
Jackson Bonser kicked three field goals for Wilson Hall.
Alan Wolf had a TD run and Connor Brown threw a TD pass to Jackson Sanders for the Warriors’ scoring.
Quarterback Reid McCollum threw three touchdown passes and ran for three as HHCA defeated Florence Christian in the first round of the SCISA 3A playoffs.
Hilton Head Christian will travel to Wilson Hall in the semifinals next week.
Sam Strum caught two TD passes and Harry Cunningham had one for HHCA.
Tony O’Banner ran for three touchdowns and Kiran Boggs threw two touchdown passes as the Rebels advanced in the SCISA Class A playoffs.
THA will host Dorchester Academy next week.
Nicolas Robinson and Donovan Robinson each had TD runs for THA. Gibson also returned a fumble for a touchdown.
Ridgeland finished off a win in the game that was suspended in October and made up on Friday night.
Ridgeland will host a first-round game against Scott’s Branch next week.
Regular season
Abbeville 48, McCormick 6
Batesburg-Leesville 8, Strom Thurmond 7
Blackville-Hilda 35, Ridge Spring-Monetta 12
Boiling Springs 41, Eastside 0
Cane Bay 28, Berkeley 23
Carolina Forest 49, North Myrtle Beach 24
Chapin 35, White Knoll 34
Chesnee 47, Blacksburg 13
Christ Church 34, St. Joseph’s 14
Clinton 42, Liberty 22
Conway 49, St James 35
Daniel 42, Seneca 21
Dutch Fork 24, Irmo 14
Fairfield Central 45, Mid Carolina 13
Fountain Inn 35, Laurens 14
Gaffney 27, Spartanburg 24
Greenville 49, Easley 21
Greenwood 35, Mauldin 13
Greer 51, Travelers Rest 0
Hilton Head Island 42, Bluffton 7
JL Mann 35, Woodmont 6
Mountain View Prep 48, Union County 7
Myrtle Beach 35, Socastee 23
Newberry 33, Silver Bluff 21
North Augusta 20, Gray Collegiate 17
Palmetto 57, Carolina High and Academy 6
Pendleton 26, Blue Ridge 0
Pickens 52, Berea 0
Powdersville 44, Southside Christian 0
River Bluff 24, Lexington 10
Riverside 44, Wade Hampton 20
Saluda 57, American Leadership Academy 0
Stratford 21, Goose Creek 14
Sumter 49, Ridge View 6
TL Hanna 43, Hillcrest 21
Ware Shoals 36, Whitmire 34
West Florence 53, Spring Valley 12
Westside 61, Southside 0
Woodruff 35, Broome 14
Wren 42, Emerald 25
Thursday
Gilbert 52, Aiken 7
South Aiken 40, Airport 27
SCISA Playoffs
Class 4A
Hammond 35, Cardinal Newman 6
Augusta Christian 17, Ben Lippen 7
Porter-Gaud 44, Heathwood Hall 13
Northwood 49, Laurence Manning 20
Class 3A
Wilson Hall 25, John Paul II 14
Hilton Head Christian 42, Florence Christian 7
Pinewood Prep 49, Trinity Collegiate 13
Northside Christian 53, First Baptist 28
Class 2A
Pee Dee Academy 56, Spartanburg Christian 19
Greenwood Christian 28, St. John’s Christian 14
Calhoun Academy 42, Hilton Head Prep 27
Bethesda 36, Orangeburg Prep 0
Class A
Thomas Heyward 55, Lee Academy 12
Dorchester 45, Colleton Prep 7
Williamsburg Academy 55, Patrick Henry 6
Beaufort Academy 23, Carolina Academy 21
8-Man
Richard Winn 51, Newberry Academy 16
Wardlaw 46, Holly Hill 44
Jefferson Davis 46, WW King 22
Laurens Academy 56, Cross Schools 22