Susan Haberberger

She concentrates her practice in the areas of estate planning and administration and wealth transfer. She assists individuals with the preparation, revision and updating of estate planning documents including wills, revocable living trusts, irrevocable life insurance trusts (ILITs), charitable trusts (CRATs, CRUTs, CLTs), spousal lifetime access trusts (SLATS), dynasty trusts, trusts for children, grantor retained income trusts (GRATs), qualified personal residence trusts (QPRTs), premarital agreements, powers of attorney (for both asset management and health care), and living wills. Sue also advises individuals on planning for and minimizing estate taxes and generation skipping taxes, and counsels clients on the development of gifting strategies, including annual exclusion gifting, charitable gift planning and the formation of private and family foundations. Sue also counsels clients on asset protection and probate avoidance issues and modification of irrevocable trusts.

Sue has shown a dedicated commitment to building stronger communities through volunteer leadership and service to nonprofit organizations that benefit the greater Raleigh community. She has been elected into leadership roles in a number of significant nonprofits, and continues to be an ardent supporter of Raleigh’s charitable network.

A native of Reading, Pennsylvania, Sue attended Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts and graduated from the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaii where she was a member of the Law Review. She enjoys traveling and culinary adventures. Sue has been proud to call North Carolina home for more than 20 years.

• Prepares tailored estate planning documents (from simple wills to sophisticated trusts) to accomplish the specific estate planning objectives of her clients.
• Works with individuals to make provision for the needs of children (minors, fiscally immature, and/or special needs), address issues specific to second marriages and blended families, plan for unique family dynamics, and formulate options for heirs challenged by substance abuse issues.
• Counsels clients on transfers to noncitizen spouses, generation-skipping transfers, and other sophisticated tax issues.
• Collaborates with clients and their other professional advisors to ensure that beneficiary designations for retirement accounts and life insurance policies properly coordinate with their estate plans.
• Represents individuals with the negotiation and preparation of premarital and post-marital agreements to protect wealth.
• Counsels clients on gifting strategies, both charitable and non-charitable, and the creation of trusts and other vehicles to accomplish those strategies.
• Advises charitable organizations on matters related to planned giving, bylaws, conflict of interest policies, gift acceptance policies, and tax-exempt status.