Estate Planning

If you have any assets and income, I can provide you with the basic Pennsylvania estate planning tools you should have.

What every person needs is a durable power of attorney designating a person who will act on your behalf if you become physically or mentally incapacitated. Every person should also have an advance healthcare directive/medical power of attorney, sometimes called a living will, which is used to select the end-of-life care if you are terminally ill. A last will and testament is an absolute necessity so you can designate who you want to leave your assets and who you wants to be responsible for making sure the terms of your will are complied with. Even if you believe your assets are small, having a last will and testament will avoid serious problems for those loved ones you leave behind. With an experienced estate attorney such as myself, you can consider options such as a trust to reduce or even eliminate death taxes and the best way to pass your assets to your heirs. If you have minor children, you should have a standby guardianship designation if you and your spouse suddenly die or become incapacitated. When loved ones have died, I can save you money on taxes and review whether a will should be contested if you have been excluded from a will.