Skip to main content
SECU Logo
Contact Us
Find a Branch and ATM
Rates & Fees
Lending Rates
Share & Deposit Account Rates
Account & Lending Fees
FAQs
Routing Number: 253177049

Estate Planning Essentials Program

Our Estate Planning Essentials Program allows members to meet with participating attorneys at a local SECU branch to create an estate plan.

Prepare for life’s unknowns

Our Estate Planning Essentials (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 SECU 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, we're here for you.

$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 Power of Attorney

  • Living Will

  • HIPAA Authorization


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

How it works

We are here to guide you through everything in a few steps.

  • Schedule a meeting with an SECU 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?

Our 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

    We 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

    We 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

    We 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, we can discuss whether there may be a need for professional assistance with paying bills or managing property.

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

(833) 599-7328 Find a branch

Frequently asked questions about Estate Planning Essentials

Estate planning is important for everyone. In addition to expressing your wishes for what happens to your assets after your lifetime, an estate plan also allows you to appoint someone to make financial, legal, and medical decisions for you if you become incompetent or unable to speak for yourself. For parents of young children, an estate plan also allows you to designate your children's guardian should you die when they are still minors. Otherwise, the person you would have chosen might not be the person the court appoints. We are here to help you get started with estate planning.

The EPE program covers the most essential documents everyone needs: a Will (may include trust provisions), Durable Power of Attorney, Health Care Power of Attorney, Living Will, and HIPAA Authorization, which provides your health care agent access to your medical records to make informed decisions on your behalf.

We recommend you work with a qualified estate planning attorney to make changes to your estate planning documents. It is not advisable to make changes on your own, including any hand-written notes.

SECU partners with Members Trust Company to offer comprehensive Trust and Fiduciary Services, including Corporate Trustee Services, Estate Settlement Services, the FlexIRA™, and more.

Attorneys participating in the Estate Planning Essentials Program are not employees or agents of the Credit Union (SECU, LGFCU, or NCPAFCU), Members Trust Company, or any affiliated entity. SECU trust representatives are not employees or agents of the participating attorneys. The Credit Union and Members Trust Company are not responsible for the services provided by these independent professionals.

Related resources

  • Elderly couple walking and laughing

    article

    What Is an Advance Health Care Directive?

    Advance Health Care Directives can be used to make your wishes known and appoint a health care agent to make medical decisions. Discover which you may need.
    Read article
  • woman with hand on man's shoulder

    article

    What To Do When a Loved One Dies

    When a loved one dies, the last thing you want is a complicated process. Know what’s next with these simplified steps.
    Read article
View all learning resources

Related links

  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.