Tomorrow Is Never Promised. Start Planning Today.
The Firm
Meet KC Mangus
I was not always happy practicing law. For twenty years, I watched bad things happen to good people. The system was increasingly stacked against my clients and it weighed heavy on my heart. I considered quitting. But I still felt called to help people, to use my skills as a lawyer to alleviate suffering, and to bring my clients peace in any way I could. And then I lost someone I loved very much and found my way to estate planning.
Who I Help
You may ask why you need estate planning if you are single, divorced, or widowed and have no children. You tell yourself “I will be dead so it doesn't matter who gets my stuff”. If you die without a will, also called dying intestate, South Carolina law will determine who gets your “stuff”. Your property may be inherited by the last person in the world you want to receive your “stuff” like your mean, old aunt who never spoke a kind word.
The Process
I understand that my clients have busy lives and that it can be hard to take off work, drive to a law office, find a place to park and then meet with a lawyer. The majority of our estate planning work will done virtually. I work with my clients to arrange appointments at mutually convenient times. I am also able to accommodate evening appointments on Monday, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Mangus Law Firm's Mission and Core Values
It is my mission to educate my clients so they can make the best decisions to alleviate the suffering of themselves and their family during a serious illness or after death and to give themselves peace of mind that they have taken the necessary steps to protect themselves and their families.
Education
It is important to me that all my clients understand how their estate plan works. My goal is to help you understand how estate taxes work; what probate is and how you can avoid it; the difference between probate assets and non-probate assets; whether a will- or trust-based estate plan is better for you and your family; the pros and cons of a joint trust versus two individual trusts for a married couple; what happens to you if are too ill to handle your financial or medical decisions; and most importantly, what happens to your young children and special needs children should you be unable to take care of them due to illness or death.
Alleviation of Suffering
Oftentimes, your loved ones will worry themselves sick trying to guess what you would have wanted if you can no longer make your own decisions or you pass away. You can alleviate that burden by putting a will- or trust-based estate plan in place. Whether you have been injured in a catastrophic accident, are suffering from a serious medical condition, or after your death, leaving instructions for your loved ones can alleviate their burden during the grieving process. This is especially important when you have young children or children with special needs because the caretakers of your children need instructions.
Peace of Mind
Many parents of young children delay taking a much-need and long-deserved vacation because they are afraid something might happen to them and they do not have a will in place naming guardians of their children. Parents of children who have special needs or who suffer from a mental illness, or drug or alcohol addiction worry about what will happen to their child when they receive their inheritance. Worry is second nature as a parent. But we cannot live in a bubble; life is meant to be lived. Having an estate plan will give you a sense of peace that you have done what is necessary to protect your children and their inheritances should the unexpected happen.
I Am Here to Help
Contact Mangus Law Firm, and I will help guide you through the estate planning process. I provide estate planning services and special needs planning to individuals, parents, newly married couples, blended families, second+ marriages, and LGBTQ families. If you live in Berkeley, Charleston, or Dorchester counties and have more questions about estate planning, schedule a consultation with me using the form below or call or email me. I am looking forward to talking with you about your estate planning needs.