Wills and Estate

It’s becoming a common theme on the evening news: an older adult lost their life’s savings at the hands of a scammer. Not only does it make you angry, but it also causes you to start worrying about your own elderly parents. No adult child wants to take away their...

Someone drafting an estate plan typically wants to provide instructions about what should happen after they die. They create testamentary documents describing their wishes for a memorial service, naming someone who could act as a guardian for their minor children and...

Creating an estate plan forces you to face the inevitable yet unsettling thought of what may happen in the far future. What happens to your children if you pass away? Will your spouse continue to care for them after remarriage? You want to support your spouse but also...

Powers of attorney are some of the most useful documents that people can include in an estate plan. However, there are millions of adults who might benefit from powers of attorney who never get around to drafting them. People often fall into the trap of assuming that...

You’re not obligated to leave your assets and possessions to anyone. Your family members may expect to be included in your estate plan, but you can cut them out of that plan if you want. This is known as disinheritance, and it is entirely up to you. That being said,...

When it comes to estate planning, one important question that often arises is whether you should disclose all the details of your estate plan to your children before you pass away. This is a deeply personal decision, as it involves considerations of family dynamics,...

The average adult doesn’t have an estate plan. Even people who know that they want to have an estate plan and who see the value in creating one may still put off making that effort. As a result, most Americans have not done so, statistically speaking. One of the...

Digital assets were probably not included in your parents' estate plans. If you last reviewed your plan more than ten years ago, they might not be mentioned there either. But they should be. Your digital assets include everything of yours that lives online, on your...

When you die, there are Pennsylvania state laws that can guide the process of distributing your property to family members. Intestate succession laws specifically focus on the rights of spouses and children, although more distant family members also have inheritance...

As you start thinking about your estate plan, one of your goals is likely to maximize the assets your heirs and other beneficiaries will get to keep. That means minimizing taxes – not just estate taxes that can diminish the value of your estate, but the inheritance...

When you make your will, you’ll have to take inventory of all your assets, decide who’ll benefit from your death, who’ll care for your assets during the probate process and assign someone to care for your children. Often, people only consider their will as a plan for...

Digital assets were once an incredibly niche form of personal property. They were easy to overlook when planning an estate. However, as people increasingly lead their lives online, digital assets have become more common and more valuable. If you don't address your...

No one knows when their time will come, but everyone should be prepared for the eventuality. An estate plan is one of the most important steps to ensure that your loved ones are taken care of after you're gone. An estate plan can also provide peace of mind in knowing...

A will is, without a doubt, the cornerstone of any estate plan. However, for your will to serve its intended purpose, it must be duly written in accordance with Pennsylvania law. And this means that the testator must at least be 18 years old at the time of signing the...

After making your estate plans, it is crucial to revise them every couple of years. You shouldn’t wait to update your estate plans after any drastic event in your life. That way, you will ensure that only the deserving parties get a share of your estate. Below is what...