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Estate Planning Essentials Program

The Estate Planning Essentials (EPE) Program allows members to meet with participating attorneys at a local branch to create an estate plan.

Prepare for life’s unknowns

The EPE Program covers the needs of many members whose situation can be addressed in a single appointment with an attorney at a local branch.

Predetermined price

The EPE Program is offered to members individually and to married couples with substantially similar estate plans whose documents are prepared at the same time.

Trusted guidance

Trust representatives and participating attorneys are here to help you navigate the estate planning process.

Accessible

Meet with a participating attorney at a local branch1 to discuss your goals and execute estate planning documents.

Estate Planning Essentials pricing

Whether you’re planning as an individual or as a married couple, EPE offers options.

$375 for individuals

Documents included:

  • Will (that may include trust provisions)

  • Durable Power of Attorney

  • Health Care Power of Attorney

  • Living Will

  • HIPAA Authorization

$500 for married couples*

Documents included:

  • Will (that may include trust provisions)

  • Durable Power of Attorney

  • Health Care Powers of Attorney

  • Living Will

  • HIPAA Authorization

*Married couples with substantially similar plans, completed at the same time.

How it works

Create an estate plan in a few straightforward steps.

  • Schedule a meeting with a trust representative

    Set up an initial meeting with your local trust representative to discuss your goals and understand what to consider before meeting with a participating attorney.2

  • Complete questionnaire and gather documentation

    The attorney will send you a questionnaire to obtain information about your assets and goals. Complete this exercise one week prior to the scheduled appointment so the attorney may begin drafting documents.

  • Execute your estate planning documents with the attorney

    Meet the participating attorney at a local branch to review the information in the questionnaire and finalize your estate planning documents.

  • Receive estate planning documents

    After your executed documents are notarized, pay the attorney directly. You now have an estate plan in place.

Have additional estate planning needs?

Trust representatives are able to discuss more sophisticated estate planning needs and can assist by providing names of local estate planning attorneys who may be able to develop a more customized plan tailored just for you.

  • Unique beneficiary needs or family dynamics

    Representatives can help members with unique beneficiary needs, such as members with blended families, beneficiaries with special needs, and/or beneficiaries who may not be ready for the responsibility of inherited money, by providing names of local estate planning attorneys.3

  • Distinct asset goals and situations

    Representatives can help members whose estate planning may involve more complex issues, such as out-of-state real estate, business interests, or potential estate tax concerns, by providing names of local attorneys or tax professionals who can advise on these matters.3

  • Differing scopes of responsibility

    Representatives can help spouses without similar plans and those who have concerns about a surviving spouse’s desire or ability to manage finances in the future by providing names of local estate planning attorneys.3 If there are current capacity concerns, representatives can discuss whether there may be a need for professional assistance with paying bills or managing property.

     

    To get started, call and ask to speak with a trust representative.

(833) 599-7328 Find a branch

  1. Members must be residents of North Carolina to participate in the EPE Program; however, SECU trust representatives are available to discuss estate planning topics with all of our members regardless of where you live.
  2. State Employees’ Credit Union (“SECU” or the “Credit Union”), through Members Trust Company (“MTC”), offers estate planning resources and education to members. The Estate Planning Essentials Program (“the Program”) is an optional service available to Credit Union members. Attorneys participating (“participating attorneys”) in the Program are not employees or agents of the Credit Union, MTC, or any affiliated entity. SECU trust representatives are not employees or agents of the participating attorneys. The Credit Union and MTC do not provide legal advice or services and are not responsible for the services provided by the participating attorneys or other independent professionals. Credit Union members generally may use a participating attorney through the Program, or select their own independent attorney outside of the Program.
  3. When requested, and as a convenience to our members, the Credit Union may provide members with names of independent local attorneys and/or other professionals to assist with members’ more complex estate planning needs. Such action does not constitute an endorsement of these professionals or guarantee of their competency by the Credit Union or Members Trust Company (“MTC”). Neither the Credit Union nor MTC receives any compensation in connection with providing the names of these professionals and is not responsible or liable for the services they render.
  4. Trust Services are offered through Members Trust Company, a federal thrift regulated by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Trust products are not Credit Union deposits, are not insured by the NCUA or any other federal government agency, are not obligations of or guaranteed by the Credit Union, Members Trust Company or any affiliated entity, and involve investment risks, including the possible loss of principal. The material in this presentation is for educational purposes only and is not intended to provide legal or tax advice regarding your situation. For legal or tax advice, please consult your attorney and/or tax professional.