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Elder law attorneys in North Carolina focus on the legal issues facing aging adults and their families: Medicaid planning for long-term care, drafting and updating durable powers of attorney and healthcare directives, guardianship and conservatorship proceedings, special needs trusts, and asset protection. Many also handle probate and estate planning, but elder law is the specific subset focused on care planning and benefits eligibility. See the North Carolina healthcare proxy and financial power of attorney forms.
Federal law (and North Carolina's implementation) imposes a 5-year lookback period for Medicaid long-term care eligibility. Any uncompensated transfers (gifts, transfers to family members, transfers to a non-Medicaid-qualified trust) within the 5 years before applying for Medicaid can trigger a penalty period during which Medicaid won't pay for nursing home care. This is the main reason Medicaid planning needs to start years before care is actually needed — and the main reason elder law attorneys exist as a distinct practice area.
Estate planning attorneys in North Carolina average $349 per hourClio Legal Trends Report 2025Verified Jan 1, 2025 for wills and estates work. Flat-fee packages run roughly $1,047–$2,094 for a simple individual will and $4,330–$6,495 for a basic revocable trust. Online and DIY services cost $30–$300 for the same documents — see the will cost calculator for a side-by-side comparison.
North Carolina allows estates under $20,000 to use a simplified small estate affidavit procedure, which is a form rather than a court case and typically doesn't require an attorney. For larger estates, formal probate is involved enough that retaining counsel is usually practical — the procedural work is what they're there for. Use the North Carolina probate calculator to estimate the costs.
In North Carolina, the situations where retaining counsel is typically worth the cost are: blended families with children from prior relationships; ownership of a business, rental property, or significant investment assets; special-needs dependents who need a special-needs trust to preserve benefits; substantial property held in multiple states. If none of these describe your situation, the simpler online and DIY tools are often enough.
Search 3,941 estate law firms across 51 states.
Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to discuss your situation and verify their current practice areas and availability.
24 firms
Apple Payne Law is a dedicated estate planning and elder law firm serving the Piedmont Triad from Kernersville. The firm handles wills, trusts, powers of attorney, guardianship, probate, and business succession planning for families throughout Forsyth and Guilford counties.
Location
400 Bellemeade Street, Suite 800Greensboro, NC 27401
Phone
(336) 271-5267
Established
2018
Serving Wayne County and Eastern North Carolina for over 50 years, Baddour, Parker, Hine & Hale has two ACTEC Fellows and two NC Board Certified Specialists in Estate Planning and Probate Law. The firm handles everything from simple wills to complex estate and trust litigation.
Location
208 S. William StreetGoldsboro, NC 27530
Phone
(919) 735-7275
Established
1968
One of the longest continuously operating law firms in Davidson County, established in 1886. Brinkley Walser Stoner handles estate planning, probate, elder law, and Medicaid planning for families in Davidson, Guilford, and surrounding counties.
Location
10 LSB PlazaLexington, NC 27292
Phone
(336) 249-2101
Established
1886
Carolina Family Estate Planning serves clients throughout North Carolina including Apex, Clayton, Durham, Holly Springs, Morrisville, and Raleigh with estate planning and asset protection services.
Location
51 Kilmayne Dr, Suite 200Cary, NC 27511
Phone
(919) 443-3035
Established
2009
Established in 1932, Crosswhite Law has served Iredell County and the western Piedmont for nearly a century. The firm handles estate planning, probate, estate administration, elder law, and asset protection. Robert N. Crosswhite is a third-generation attorney at the firm.
Location
239 East Broad StreetStatesville, NC 28677
Phone
(704) 873-7233
Established
1932
The Law Offices of Cheryl David is a Greensboro estate planning and elder law practice serving Guilford County families. With over 30 years of experience, the firm handles wills, trusts, probate and trust administration, Medicaid planning, guardianships, and powers of attorney.
Location
528 College RoadGreensboro, NC 27410
Phone
(336) 717-0375
Gilliam Law Firm is a Fayetteville elder law and estate planning practice serving Cumberland County and the Fort Liberty community since 2002. The firm handles wills, trusts, powers of attorney, long-term care and Medicaid planning, guardianships, special needs planning, and probate and estate administration, and is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA).
Location
307 Person StreetFayetteville, NC 28301
Phone
(910) 485-8899
Established
2002
Serving eastern and coastal North Carolina since 1987, Harvell and Collins has built a strong trust and estates practice. The firm covers the Crystal Coast corridor from Morehead City to Jacksonville and New Bern, serving Carteret, Craven, and Onslow counties.
Location
1107 Bridges StreetMorehead City, NC 28557
Phone
(252) 726-9050
Established
1987
Hewett Law Firm has served the Brunswick County community from Shallotte since 2000, focusing on elder law and estate planning. The practice covers wills, revocable trusts, powers of attorney, and long-term care planning, alongside real estate transactions. Attorney Mack Hewett holds a Master of Laws in Taxation from the University of Miami.
Location
632 Village Road, Suite 1Shallotte, NC 28470
Phone
(910) 755-6667
Established
2000
Kelly, West, & Murphy is a Lillington-based firm serving Harnett County and surrounding communities since 1982. The firm focuses on elder law, wills and trusts, probate administration, Medicaid planning, and long-term care planning for seniors and their families.
Location
900 S Main StreetLillington, NC 27546
Phone
(910) 893-8183
Established
1982