Helayne Payne
Shallotte, NC
Licensed for 23 years
Law Degree
Awards
Primary Practice Area
Estate Planning
Language
English
About
As the aging-adult population continues to rise in New Hanover, Brunswick, and the surrounding counties, so has the need for experts who concentrate on protecting their rights. The questions surrounding aging do not have simple answers, and the legal needs of seniors often involve legal, financial, personal, social, psychological, and medical components.Elder Law and Life Care Planning attorney, Helayne Levy Payne, elevated her level of service to older adults to handle the complexities of aging by pursuing an advanced law degree from Stetson University College of Law in 2010 and graduating with her Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree in Elder Law in 2012. In 2014, Ms. Levy Payne founded the Elder Law & Life Care Planning Center, the first in the State of North Carolina to become a member of the Life Care Planning Law Firms Association, an organization dedicated to supporting law firms that practice this innovation in Elder Law called, "Life Care Planning." She and her team are passionate about advocating for aging adults in our community. They “walk the walk”, dedicating their professional and personal lives to furthering causes and efforts that make differences in the lives of aging adults.Ms. Levy Payne received her Master’s degree from Columbia University and her Juris Doctorate (J.D.) degree from Brooklyn Law School. She then pursued and received a Master of Laws degree in Elder Law from Stetson University’s Center for Excellence in Elder Law, located in St. Pete’s Beach, Florida. Stetson University College of Law is a national leader in Elder Law and hosts conferences attended by leading lawyers and experts.Ms. Levy Payne’s focus on elder rights extends beyond the clients she represents and into the development of the public policies and advocacy efforts affecting seniors’ quality of life. She is committed to her community, clearly illustrated by her service to many organizations focused on Elder Care. Ms. Levy Payne has served on the Board of Directors of Brunswick Senior Resources, Inc., (BSRI), the preeminent provider of services to senior adults in Brunswick County. She has been elected by her fellow colleagues to serve on the North Carolina Chapter of the Board of Directors for the National Association of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), the North Carolina Bar Association’s Elder Law Section Council, and the NAELA North Carolina Chapter’s Advocacy Committee. She is a member of Leading Lawyers on Estate & Long Term Care Planning. Ms. Levy Payne has served as a committee member for the Council of Governments Cape Fear Area Agency on Aging Elder Abuse Prevention Network. Wilmington’s Mayor William Saffo appointed Ms. Levy Payne to serve on the Board of Commissioners for the Wilmington Housing Authority, where she contributed her understanding of the specific issues affecting older adults to advance the affordable housing options available to older adult community members. Ms. Levy Payne currently serves as a Board of Directors member for Health Possible Inc. Health Possible is a 3-year-old non-profit providing financial aid and grants to those in need of fitness, mental health, and nutrition but cannot afford it. This is in perfect alignment with our holistic approach to aging in this second half of life and optimizing brain and physical health and our awareness of the importance of overall well-being as we age. She also serves on the Wealth Counsel of North Carolina Forum Board of Directors.Her most recent advocacy efforts include: serving as a lawyer-participant in North Carolina’s statewide Interdisciplinary Workgroup, Rethinking Guardianship, which is funded by a grant through the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities and focused on the pressing public policy issues as they apply to improving guardianship in North Carolina. Ms. Levy Payne is a founding member of the National Alliance of Attorneys for Alzheimer’s Planning (“NA3P”). NA3P is a new non-profit sponsored by Julieann Steinbacher, founder of Leading Lawyers on Estate & Long Term Care Planning attorney master-mind group, of which Ms. Levy Payne is also a member. NA3P is the first organization of its kind and is hyper-focused on bringing much-needed resources and services to the general public; patients afflicted with the disease of Alzheimer’s and related dementias; and their caregivers. NA3P hopes to bring awareness to the research, experience, and exploration into the disease for both patients, family members, and caregivers.Ms. Levy Payne is a certified mediator through the North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission. To receive this certification as a mediator, Helayne has met stringent threshold criteria relating to her education and work experience, completed at least 40 hours of mediation training, and completed the requisite number of observations by observing other excellent mediators through District 5 Family Court in New Hanover and Pender counties. She uses this certification to better serve families within her practice avoid costly litigation and instead resolve family disputes through the mediation process, preserving family relationships and money.As an Elder Law Attorney, Ms. Levy Payne saw the growing need for advanced planning for those facing cognitive decline in southeastern coastal North Carolina and began developing the skills needed to better assist our community. In addition to her other training and experience to better serve those living with dementia and their caregivers, Ms. Levy Payne became a Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP) and Certified Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia Care Trainer (CADDCT) through the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners (NCCDP).She recently authored and adapted two books, You’re Not Alone: Living withAlzheimer’s Disease and You’re Not Alone: Living as an Alzheimer’s Caregiver. Ms. Levy Payne is in the process of preparing for the release of her newest book, You’re Not Alone Living with Dementia. These books are designed to serve as a guide for those recently diagnosed with cognitive impairment and their caregivers to better cope, prepare, and protect themselves. These books are able to be read or viewed in under two hours and offer practical advice on exactly what one needs to do when faced with a diagnosis.Ms. Levy Payne married the love of her life, Col. Wayne James Payne, USMC (Ret.) on June 9, 2018. She lives with her son, Aaron, her daughter, Samantha, their dog-child, Bull, and their cat, Medusa, in Wilmington, North Carolina. Her parents, Dr. Benjamin and Linda Levy, die-hard New Yorkers, followed Ms. Levy Payne to North Carolina and now live in Wilmington as well.Ms. Levy Payne is admitted to practice law in both North Carolina and New York.
Practices Areas
Estate Planning
Probate
Elder Law
Language
English
Contact
Elder Law & Life Care Planning Center4436 Main StreetShallotte, NC, 28470 Office (910) 755-7526 Office (844) 754-5433 Fax (910) 755-7521 4436 Main StreetShallotte, NC, 28470 Office (910) 755-7526(910) 755-7526 Office (844) 754-5433(844) 754-5433 Fax (910) 755-7521(910) 755-7521
Office: (910) 444-2821
Website: N/AReviews
We first met Attorney Levy at one of her free information conferences. Many topics were discussed and we realized how little we knew about protecting our investments and property after our death or during any incapacitation. This prompted us to make an appointment with Attorney Levy, as we were impressed with her thorough presentation and knowledge. It was then that we realized how little we knew. On our first visit, Attorney Levy and her staff welcomed us and presented us with an overview of what to expect, giving us options on various plans. We chose the plan we thought was best suited for us and as we now come to concluding our plan, we would like to give the highest praises to Attorney Levy and her staff, who are not only knowledgeable and professional, but also warm and caring. We are very pleased with our future plan and want to thank Attorney Levy and her staff for always making us feel comfortable, even when we felt inadequate in understanding legal jargon. We feel fortunate to have an attorney we not only trust, but one whom we now think of as a friend. It is a comfortable feeling knowing that if we have any questions at any time, we can always call the office for our answers.
We didn't have much to protect, but we wanted it protected well. Helayne and her staff were exceptionally thorough and remarkably flexible, asking questions about things we had not considered. After 35+ years in banking and regulatory risk management, I think I know what "thorough and accurate" means. If you want that, these are the folks for you
Everyone on the "team" from Shallotte, Helayne, Michael, Casey and Candace, made the entire estate planning experience simple and easy. They took the time to explain each step in the process in ways we could understand and relate to, and then did the same with our family. We can now sleep at night knowing that everything we've worked our entire lives for will be protected and safe.
She explained the whole process of creating a trust. Answered all our questions to our satisfaction. She is very knowledgeable of all the possible situations that could occur. We were very pleased with dealing with her. We would definitely recommend Helayne Levy Payne. Also her staff was excellent.
We hired Helayne Levy Payne to prepare our wills and establish a trust fund to protect our assets. Helayne and her entire staff demonstrated a high level of professionalism throughout the entire process. They were all attentive to our needs and guided us with their knowledge and patience to assist us to meet our goals successfully. We would highly recommend this firm and we will not hesitate calling upon them for any future needs.
Helayne was very professional, respected all our wishes and addressed our concerns. We had a family meeting which included our daughters and she was very considerate of them as well, answering all their questions and explaining documents in detail. We feel Helayne has prepared us financially for many issues which we may be faced with in the future. We would definitely recommend her to others.
Helayne listened to our individual family issues and placed them perfectly into our will and living will. We were able to include our biggest concerns in an appropriate way. She was wonderful.
My wife and I interviewed several attorneys to assemble our trust. Mrs Payne was far and above our first and only choice. She is a model of professionalism. She guided us through the maze of writing our trust and related documents. Just one glitch. We could not seem to schedule meetings with her staff very easily. The whole process took longer than we anticipated. However, this was a small inconvenience considering the wealth of protection and peace of mind we acquired for our future.
Helayne and her staff were extremely competent and made the entire experience of estate planning including wills, powers of attorney, personal health care plans, etc. more of a pleasure vice a somber experience. All documents were well explained and thorough. She and her staff are highly recommended.
We attended a free estate planning seminar by another elder law practice a few years ago. We realized we needed a legal firm to help us and felt that an Elder Law practice was the best way to proceed. We began our search to find an expert that could guide us through this vast legal and confusing process. We talked to friends, did research on Elder Law practices in the area, and developed a short list of candidates to consider. We met Helayne and her staff and we were blown away by her friendly and compassionate yet professional manner, her vast legal knowledge and experience in every aspect of this kind of legal and life event type of planning. She put us at ease immediately. After explaining our situation and our goals and her explanation of all of the planning options, we felt we made the best decision on the type of planning we wanted, and we signed a contract with her. We were overwhelmed and confused at the beginning of this journey with all of the legal jargon and potential pitfalls. However, her endless patience, careful explaining and coaching, sense of humor, thoroughness, skill at asking and listening to get at our specific situation and our goals, we were able to break this process down and do some incredibly creative and effective planning. We felt we had turned over every stone and we had identified every situation and carefully planned for every eventuality when we are gone or no longer able to manage on our own. We could not have made a better choice than working with Helayne and her staff. If you are looking for someone to help you with your asset planning, we highly recommend Helayne Levy and her team at “Elder Law, Life Care Planning Center…..A Practice with a Purpose”. She made what seemed to be a very difficult process easy, and we have come away with great plans in place.
We first met Attorney Levy at one of her free information conferences. Many topics were discussed and we realized how little we knew about protecting our investments and property after our death or during any incapacitation. This prompted us to make an appointment with Attorney Levy, as we were impressed with her thorough presentation and knowledge. It was then that we realized how little we knew. On our first visit, Attorney Levy and her staff welcomed us and presented us with an overview of what to expect, giving us options on various plans. We chose the plan we thought was best suited for us and as we now come to concluding our plan, we would like to give the highest praises to Attorney Levy and her staff, who are not only knowledgeable and professional, but also warm and caring. We are very pleased with our future plan and want to thank Attorney Levy and her staff for always making us feel comfortable, even when we felt inadequate in understanding legal jargon. We feel fortunate to have an attorney we not only trust, but one whom we now think of as a friend. It is a comfortable feeling knowing that if we have any questions at any time, we can always call the office for our answers.
We didn't have much to protect, but we wanted it protected well. Helayne and her staff were exceptionally thorough and remarkably flexible, asking questions about things we had not considered. After 35+ years in banking and regulatory risk management, I think I know what "thorough and accurate" means. If you want that, these are the folks for you
Everyone on the "team" from Shallotte, Helayne, Michael, Casey and Candace, made the entire estate planning experience simple and easy. They took the time to explain each step in the process in ways we could understand and relate to, and then did the same with our family. We can now sleep at night knowing that everything we've worked our entire lives for will be protected and safe.
She explained the whole process of creating a trust. Answered all our questions to our satisfaction. She is very knowledgeable of all the possible situations that could occur. We were very pleased with dealing with her. We would definitely recommend Helayne Levy Payne. Also her staff was excellent.
We hired Helayne Levy Payne to prepare our wills and establish a trust fund to protect our assets. Helayne and her entire staff demonstrated a high level of professionalism throughout the entire process. They were all attentive to our needs and guided us with their knowledge and patience to assist us to meet our goals successfully. We would highly recommend this firm and we will not hesitate calling upon them for any future needs.
Helayne was very professional, respected all our wishes and addressed our concerns. We had a family meeting which included our daughters and she was very considerate of them as well, answering all their questions and explaining documents in detail. We feel Helayne has prepared us financially for many issues which we may be faced with in the future. We would definitely recommend her to others.
Helayne listened to our individual family issues and placed them perfectly into our will and living will. We were able to include our biggest concerns in an appropriate way. She was wonderful.
My wife and I interviewed several attorneys to assemble our trust. Mrs Payne was far and above our first and only choice. She is a model of professionalism. She guided us through the maze of writing our trust and related documents. Just one glitch. We could not seem to schedule meetings with her staff very easily. The whole process took longer than we anticipated. However, this was a small inconvenience considering the wealth of protection and peace of mind we acquired for our future.
Helayne and her staff were extremely competent and made the entire experience of estate planning including wills, powers of attorney, personal health care plans, etc. more of a pleasure vice a somber experience. All documents were well explained and thorough. She and her staff are highly recommended.
We attended a free estate planning seminar by another elder law practice a few years ago. We realized we needed a legal firm to help us and felt that an Elder Law practice was the best way to proceed. We began our search to find an expert that could guide us through this vast legal and confusing process. We talked to friends, did research on Elder Law practices in the area, and developed a short list of candidates to consider. We met Helayne and her staff and we were blown away by her friendly and compassionate yet professional manner, her vast legal knowledge and experience in every aspect of this kind of legal and life event type of planning. She put us at ease immediately. After explaining our situation and our goals and her explanation of all of the planning options, we felt we made the best decision on the type of planning we wanted, and we signed a contract with her. We were overwhelmed and confused at the beginning of this journey with all of the legal jargon and potential pitfalls. However, her endless patience, careful explaining and coaching, sense of humor, thoroughness, skill at asking and listening to get at our specific situation and our goals, we were able to break this process down and do some incredibly creative and effective planning. We felt we had turned over every stone and we had identified every situation and carefully planned for every eventuality when we are gone or no longer able to manage on our own. We could not have made a better choice than working with Helayne and her staff. If you are looking for someone to help you with your asset planning, we highly recommend Helayne Levy and her team at “Elder Law, Life Care Planning Center…..A Practice with a Purpose”. She made what seemed to be a very difficult process easy, and we have come away with great plans in place.
We first met Attorney Levy at one of her free information conferences. Many topics were discussed and we realized how little we knew about protecting our investments and property after our death or during any incapacitation. This prompted us to make an appointment with Attorney Levy, as we were impressed with her thorough presentation and knowledge. It was then that we realized how little we knew. On our first visit, Attorney Levy and her staff welcomed us and presented us with an overview of what to expect, giving us options on various plans. We chose the plan we thought was best suited for us and as we now come to concluding our plan, we would like to give the highest praises to Attorney Levy and her staff, who are not only knowledgeable and professional, but also warm and caring. We are very pleased with our future plan and want to thank Attorney Levy and her staff for always making us feel comfortable, even when we felt inadequate in understanding legal jargon. We feel fortunate to have an attorney we not only trust, but one whom we now think of as a friend. It is a comfortable feeling knowing that if we have any questions at any time, we can always call the office for our answers.
We didn't have much to protect, but we wanted it protected well. Helayne and her staff were exceptionally thorough and remarkably flexible, asking questions about things we had not considered. After 35+ years in banking and regulatory risk management, I think I know what "thorough and accurate" means. If you want that, these are the folks for you
Everyone on the "team" from Shallotte, Helayne, Michael, Casey and Candace, made the entire estate planning experience simple and easy. They took the time to explain each step in the process in ways we could understand and relate to, and then did the same with our family. We can now sleep at night knowing that everything we've worked our entire lives for will be protected and safe.
She explained the whole process of creating a trust. Answered all our questions to our satisfaction. She is very knowledgeable of all the possible situations that could occur. We were very pleased with dealing with her. We would definitely recommend Helayne Levy Payne. Also her staff was excellent.
We hired Helayne Levy Payne to prepare our wills and establish a trust fund to protect our assets. Helayne and her entire staff demonstrated a high level of professionalism throughout the entire process. They were all attentive to our needs and guided us with their knowledge and patience to assist us to meet our goals successfully. We would highly recommend this firm and we will not hesitate calling upon them for any future needs.
Helayne was very professional, respected all our wishes and addressed our concerns. We had a family meeting which included our daughters and she was very considerate of them as well, answering all their questions and explaining documents in detail. We feel Helayne has prepared us financially for many issues which we may be faced with in the future. We would definitely recommend her to others.
Helayne listened to our individual family issues and placed them perfectly into our will and living will. We were able to include our biggest concerns in an appropriate way. She was wonderful.
My wife and I interviewed several attorneys to assemble our trust. Mrs Payne was far and above our first and only choice. She is a model of professionalism. She guided us through the maze of writing our trust and related documents. Just one glitch. We could not seem to schedule meetings with her staff very easily. The whole process took longer than we anticipated. However, this was a small inconvenience considering the wealth of protection and peace of mind we acquired for our future.
Helayne and her staff were extremely competent and made the entire experience of estate planning including wills, powers of attorney, personal health care plans, etc. more of a pleasure vice a somber experience. All documents were well explained and thorough. She and her staff are highly recommended.
We attended a free estate planning seminar by another elder law practice a few years ago. We realized we needed a legal firm to help us and felt that an Elder Law practice was the best way to proceed. We began our search to find an expert that could guide us through this vast legal and confusing process. We talked to friends, did research on Elder Law practices in the area, and developed a short list of candidates to consider. We met Helayne and her staff and we were blown away by her friendly and compassionate yet professional manner, her vast legal knowledge and experience in every aspect of this kind of legal and life event type of planning. She put us at ease immediately. After explaining our situation and our goals and her explanation of all of the planning options, we felt we made the best decision on the type of planning we wanted, and we signed a contract with her. We were overwhelmed and confused at the beginning of this journey with all of the legal jargon and potential pitfalls. However, her endless patience, careful explaining and coaching, sense of humor, thoroughness, skill at asking and listening to get at our specific situation and our goals, we were able to break this process down and do some incredibly creative and effective planning. We felt we had turned over every stone and we had identified every situation and carefully planned for every eventuality when we are gone or no longer able to manage on our own. We could not have made a better choice than working with Helayne and her staff. If you are looking for someone to help you with your asset planning, we highly recommend Helayne Levy and her team at “Elder Law, Life Care Planning Center…..A Practice with a Purpose”. She made what seemed to be a very difficult process easy, and we have come away with great plans in place.