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Wills & Trusts in Charlotte

Wills & Trusts in Matthews

Compare 6 wills and trusts attorneys in Matthews. Learn what estate planning involves, what to look for, and see our ranked guide.

Wills and trusts work covers the legal documents that decide who gets your property, who raises your kids if something happens to you, and who makes medical or financial decisions on your behalf if you can't. That includes a last will, a revocable living trust in many cases, a durable power of attorney, and a healthcare directive. Matthews has 6 attorneys and firms practicing in this area, ranging from solo practitioners who handle straightforward wills to firms that build out full trust structures for business owners and blended families.

The right fit depends on how complicated your situation is. A single person with a house and a retirement account usually needs a will, a power of attorney, and maybe a simple trust to avoid probate. Someone with a business, rental property, a second marriage, or a child with special needs needs a lawyer who does this work regularly and can explain the tradeoffs, not just fill in a template. Ask upfront about flat fees versus hourly billing, whether the quote includes both spouses' documents, how they handle updates down the road, and whether they also help with the probate side if a plan ever needs to be executed.

Credentials matter, but so does how a lawyer communicates. Look for someone who walks you through why a document is structured a certain way, returns calls promptly, and has handled cases like yours before, not just estate planning in general.

Our scores weigh experience, client feedback, responsiveness, and the breadth of services each attorney actually offers, so you can compare firms on more than just a name you found in a search. See the full ranked breakdown in our best estate planning attorneys in Matthews guide, and read how we score firms on the methodology page.

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All wills & trusts in Matthews, ranked by score and relevance

6 businesses, scored on recent reviews. The order weighs each business's overall score by how much of its reviewed work is wills & trusts, so a lower-scored specialist can rank above a higher-scored generalist.

Weaver Bennett & Bland, P.A., Attorneys at Law
#1
78

Weaver Bennett & Bland, P.A., Attorneys at Law

4.2(95)✓ Google-verified

Clients consistently praise Bill Whittaker, David Sherman, Eran Weaver, and Mr. Bland for handling complex family law and civil matters with knowledge, clarity, and genuine care. Staff respond quickly to questions and explain difficult processes in accessible terms, making stressful situations more manageable.

Wills & TrustsElder Law & Medicaid PlanningEstate Planning Attorney
Riney Law, PLLC
#2
74 low data

Riney Law, PLLC

5.0(10)✓ Google-verified

All ten reviews award five stars. Clients consistently describe the team as professional, responsive, and deeply knowledgeable. Work spans wills and trusts through complex transactions; attorneys Charles and Austin are named as highly regarded locally.

Wills & TrustsEstate Planning Attorney
Pilkington Law, PLLC
#3
72

Pilkington Law, PLLC

4.4(20)✓ Google-verified

Rachel, Ann, and their team handle wills and trusts with genuine patience, walking clients through each step and catching errors previous lawyers missed. Reviewers consistently praise their knowledge, kindness, and willingness to take time explaining documents, though a handful report scheduling delays and difficulty reaching the office by phone.

Wills & TrustsEstate Planning Attorney
Landon A. Dunn, PA
#4
73 low data

Landon A. Dunn, PA

4.4(30)✓ Google-verified

Most clients return to Landon Dunn for years, citing her knowledge and responsiveness across wills, trusts, and estate administration. A single one-star review from a phone consultation reported rudeness; the other 29 reviews describe a professional, supportive practice.

Wills & TrustsProbate & Estate AdministrationEstate Planning Attorney
Garrity & Gossage, LLP
#5
69

Garrity & Gossage, LLP

4.3(38)✓ Google-verified

Reviewers praise individual attorneys like Nicole, Jennifer, and Kim for expertise and empathy during estate matters, but experiences are sharply divided. Several clients report significant delays in communication, drafting errors, and frustration with responsiveness to phone and email inquiries. One client experienced a six-week wait for a pricing quote with no follow-up. Staff interactions have ranged from warm and helpful to dismissive and rude, particularly regarding client requests and elder clients seeking family involvement in decisions.

Estate & Trust LitigationWills & TrustsElder Law & Medicaid Planning

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North Carolina Estate Planning & Fiduciary Law
#6
61 low data

North Carolina Estate Planning & Fiduciary Law

4.0(27)✓ Google-verified

North Carolina Estate Planning & Fiduciary Law earns strong marks from clients for attorney expertise and follow-through on complex matters. Long-standing clients and those handled by specific attorneys report responsiveness and proactive planning. Recurring complaints center on poor phone access, billing transparency, and staff communication, particularly from older reviews involving departures or fee disputes.

Wills & TrustsEstate Planning AttorneyProbate & Estate Administration

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Common questions about wills & trusts

How much does a will or trust cost in Matthews?
A basic will package (will, power of attorney, healthcare directive) often runs a flat fee in the low hundreds to around a thousand dollars for a single person, more for a couple. A revocable living trust package costs more, commonly in the range of $1,500 to $3,500 depending on complexity, since it involves retitling assets. Attorneys handling business succession or complex trusts typically bill hourly on top of a base package. Always ask for a flat-fee quote before work begins.
How often should I update my will or trust?
Review your documents every 3 to 5 years, and update sooner after a marriage, divorce, birth, death in the family, a move to a new state, or a major change in assets like starting a business or buying property. North Carolina law and your intentions can drift apart faster than people expect.
What should I expect at a first meeting with an estate planning attorney?
Expect to talk through your family situation, list out major assets, and name the people you'd want as executor, trustee, guardian, and power of attorney agent. A good attorney will ask about your goals (avoiding probate, minimizing taxes, protecting a beneficiary) before recommending specific documents, rather than selling a one-size package on the first call.
How do I judge whether an estate planning attorney is good?
Look for someone who focuses on estate planning rather than treating it as a side practice, explains tradeoffs in plain language, gives you a clear written fee quote, and is upfront about what happens if your plan needs to go through probate later. Client feedback on responsiveness and follow-through is often a better signal than credentials alone.

Last updated 2026-09-02