In Pennsylvania, the attorney of any given estate is hired by the personal representative (who was hired by the estate owner) and not by the estate's beneficiaries. Because there is no attorney-client relationship between the attorney and the beneficiaries, many...
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Estate Planning
Creating guardianship plans for your children
If you are a parent of young children, you may want to consider creating a guardianship for them as part of your estate plan. It can give you peace of mind, knowing that your children will be cared for according to your wishes in the event you are not able to if you...
How can single parents in Pennsylvania approach estate planning?
Estate planning can seem like such a daunting, confusing task that some people decide that it just isn’t worth it. That can be a serious mistake, especially for single parents in Pennsylvania. As a recent news article noted, having an estate plan in place is crucial...
Who should you select as the executor of your will?
Planning for people’s passing in the Lancaster, Pennsylvania, area is not something people typically like to think about. However, like people plan for other aspects of their future, they should also plan for what will happen to their property after they die. One of...
So, you want to create an estate plan
So, you’ve finally decided to create an estate plan. Maybe you just graduated college, got married, had a child, went through a divorce, received a large inheritance or maybe you simply just want a plan in place. No matter the reason, creating an estate plan is an...
What will happen to my property if I leave no will?
If a Pennsylvania resident dies without a will, then their property will be passed to their heirs through a process called intestate succession. One can think of intestate succession as a default estate plan put together by Pennsylvania’s lawmakers. The idea behind it...
If I am just starting out, why would I need an estate plan?
Younger people in Lancaster County who are just starting out in life might not see much of a need for a will or other estate planning documents. After all, they will usually have relatively modest property to worry about should they suddenly die or just not be able to...
Choosing a guardian for a minor child
It can be difficult for a parent to think about a situation where he or she is no longer able to care for their child. However, it can be helpful to designate a guardian who can step in and make decisions for the child if needed. There are some factors parents can...
Why should I update my estate plan?
For those of us that have taken the time to make an estate plan, we know how good completing that task makes us feel. It is like having insurance. Not only is it a sound financial decision, but also provides piece of mind for the inevitable. What many may not realize...
The value of talking to your parents about estate planning
Estate planning can be a painful subject to discuss with one’s parents because it is about what happens after they are no longer alive. Many people do not have any sort of an estate plan and it is not even something that enters into their thinking. When your parents...