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,...
Estate Planning
When should you update your estate plan?
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...
Are professional guardians a good choice?
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...
The importance of witnesses in signing wills
It is not enough to compose and sign a will to make it a binding legal document. To protect against forgeries and fraud, Pennsylvania law also requires that a person who makes a will, known as a testator, should perform this act while in the presence of two witnesses...
What to know about advance health care directives
For the aging population, figuring out what to do if or when health declines becomes more of a priority. To have the most control in the event of incapacitation, or at the end of life, part of estate planning includes filling out an advance health care directive. This...
What is most important in an executor?
When Pennsylvania residents get started on estate planning, it is somewhat overwhelming. What should you take care of first? Where should you start? Today we will look at these complex questions and the possible answers to them. We will start with picking an executor...
How to use trusts to protect wealth from tax, other threats
Some people in Pennsylvania might want to consider whether they should use a trust protector for their child's trust. A trust can protect assets from a stepparent who might inherit them and pass them to their own children or from a spouse. However, a trust protector...
When your residence changes, so should your estate plan
Estate planning is rarely urgent, but usually, when an estate plan is needed, it is already too late to create one. If you have established an estate plan, you have accomplished something that many people never get around to doing. However, you may not be done with...
Modifying an estate plan in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania residents often revise their estate plans due to changing family situations or when changes are made to tax laws. Individuals sometimes pass away before they make important changes, but it may still be possible to revise estate plans that no longer serve...
How to talk about estate planning goals
For many families in Pennsylvania and throughout the country, it can be difficult to talk about money and mortality. However, by bringing up these topics in a sensitive manner, it can be possible to do so without starting any fights. Adult children who are thinking...