Daniel J. Umlauf
Top rated Estate Planning & Probate attorney in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Salem Law
Practice Areas: Estate Planning & Probate, Elder Law; view more
Licensed in North Carolina since: 2010
Education: Wake Forest University School of Law
Selected to Rising Stars: 2020 - 2022 Details
When attorney Daniel J. Umlauf established Salem Law, he did so to fulfill his mission of creating a better and safer future for residents of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. After more than a decade of serving his clients, Mr. Umlauf continues to provide personalized service to the people who seek his advice. He handles cases related to elder law, guardianship, probate, special needs planning, estate planning, business succession planning and LGBTQ planning.
Mr. Umlauf was first exposed to estate planning while studying law at Wake Forest University School of Law. As part of his studies, he worked on a grant to help farming families in North Carolina prevent poor planning that could cost them their livelihoods and properties. This stirred a strong passion within him to help people from all backgrounds protect their assets for their generation and the next.
Estate planning needs change as people's circumstances and priorities change. Mr. Umlauf addresses this by focusing on building long-term relationships with his clients so that they can rely on him to create new documents and update existing ones as the need arises. He has played an instrumental role in ensuring the longevity of local businesses and protecting the needs of the most vulnerable persons in his community. In 2017, he was also named Rotarian of the Year in the Stratford Rotary Club for District #7690.
Outside of work, Mr. Umlauf enjoys spending time with his beautiful wife and two active boys. He also places strong importance on serving his community. His multifaceted approach includes serving as a deacon at Salem Presbyterian Church, serving as the secretary and president-elect of the Stratford Rotary Club and serving on the board of directors at the Piedmont Land Conservancy.
Practice areas
Estate Planning & Probate, Elder LawFocus areas
Estate Planning, Guardianships & Conservatorships, Living Wills, Power of Attorney, Probate & Estate Administration, Trusts, Wills
- 80% Estate Planning & Probate
- 20% Elder Law
First Admitted: 2010, North Carolina
Professional Webpage: https://www.salemestateplanning.com/about-us
- Lawyers with Purpose, Board Member , 2020
- This is a 30-minute interview with Frank Smason of the Boomers Today talk show out of California which can be heard on iHeartRADIO, Spreaker, as its own stand alone app on your mobile device, or as a Podcast through iTunes or other Podcast players. Frank and Daniel’s discussion covers incapacity planning - powers of attorney and guardianship - as well as the traditional topics of elder law including Medicaid planning, the 5-year look-back, and others ways and strategies to pay for long-term care including assisted living and skilled nursing facilities or nursing homes, Long-term Care Planning - What NOT to do, Elder, Estates, Wills, Trusts, Powers Of Attorney, Guardianship, Disability, 2018
- Legally, incompetence is the inability to handle one’s own affairs, like day-to-day money management, hygiene, community navigation and communication of needs, etc. If a person cannot independently do these things, it is important someone have legal authority to assist them. Often, this authority is given in Healthcare and Financial Powers of Attorney. These legal documents allow aging adults to choose who will eventually take over their affairs. Unfortunately, despite preselection, alleged or actual financial exploitation is one the biggest sources of family fights and litigation in elder law. Typically, the authority for another person to act in the above legal documents is triggered by a physician(s) pronouncement of incompetence. To an extent, this makes sense because medical conditions like Alzheimer’s or dementia are major contributors to incompetence. While physicians are the only one’s with the necessary expertise to diagnose disease, they are not in a position to know first-hand how their patients handle day-to-day affairs. Their only source for that information is the caregiver who brought them to the appointment – there are no protections if there is an attempt to exploit. Those best positioned to know how day-to-day affairs are handled are those who have witnessed their functioning for years. These are typically family members and close friends, including the chosen successor their legal documents. We recommend our clients appoint a “disability panel” to make determinations of incompetency. Requiring the input and consent of the people who know the person best reduces the risk of actual and alleged exploitation, Disability Panels and Determinations of Incompetence in Adults, Elder, Estates, Wills, Trusts, Powers Of Attorney, Guardianship, Disability, 2018
- Deacon at Salem Presbyterian Church
- Board of Directors at the Piedmont Land Conservancy
- Past President, The Stratford Rotary Club, District 7690, 2020
- Rotarian of the Year, The Stratford Rotary Club, District #7690, 2017
- Elder
- Estates
- Guardianship
- Irrevocable Trust
- Powers Of Attorney
- Probate
- Special Needs
- Trusts
- Wills
Office location for Daniel J. Umlauf
1645 Westbrook Plaza Dr
Winston-Salem, NC 27103
Phone: 336-715-1311
Selections
- Rising Stars: 2020 - 2022
