Creating a will can help your loved ones carry out your final wishes after you pass away, but what happens when a major life event changes the circumstances you already laid out in writing? Farm Bureau Financial Services reports that wills play many roles, from...
Many Pennsylvania parents of children with special needs consider creating special needs trusts. These important estate planning tools give you a way to leave assets behind for your child after your death while allowing your child to remain eligible for certain...
You may ask yourself what the next steps are after you create your estate plan. First, you must keep it updated to reflect your current life circumstances. But you should also let your loved ones know about its contents. Why? Because you have the chance to clear up...
Contesting a will means that you question the validity of it. You feel there is something in the will that is not legal or that the creation of the will somehow violates the law. When you contest a will, it occurs during probate. It will stop probate matters because...
It is natural to feel wary about creating a power of attorney. The idea of turning over your decision making powers to someone else is not something to take lightly. Still, a power of attorney can be crucial and you want to have it ready at the earliest possible time....
An important part of the estate planning process in Pennsylvania is preparing to minimize any liabilities your estate may face upon your death. You can take steps to settle debts and avoid probate, but one expense that may seem inevitable is taxes. Fortunately, there...
For Pennsylvania residents with assets, having a formal estate plan ensures that property goes to whom or where the owner wishes instead of the probate court making the decision. If you have a family, financial accounts, real estate and vehicle, a will is the first...
Being cut out of a loved one's will has many effects, both emotional and financial. You may feel wronged by the decision, especially if you were close to the person. You may also be concerned that the person's wishes are not being followed by other family members,...
Pennsylvania residents like you who already have an estate plan are one step ahead of the rest. But estate plan management does not stop at the creation of the plan. You must also update it often. An estate plan must reflect your life at its most current point. But...
When assigning guardianship over an adult, the courts will always look to family members first. It wants to ensure what is best for the individual and the general thought is that family is the most likely to achieve that. However, AARP explains that when there is no...