January 30, 2025

Trusts vs. Wills: Which Is Right for Your Estate Plan?

Planning for the future is one of the most important steps you can take to protect your loved ones and ensure your wishes are honored. When it comes to estate planning, two of the most effective tools are trusts and wills. While both serve the purpose of asset distribution, they offer unique benefits. Understanding the […]

January 20, 2025

How to Avoid Probate with Proper Estate Planning

Probate is the legal process where a court oversees the distribution of a deceased person’s assets. While it ensures proper administration, probate can be time-consuming, costly, and invasive. Thankfully, proper estate planning allows you to bypass probate, ensuring a smoother transfer of assets to your beneficiaries. Here’s how you can achieve that. 1. Create a […]

November 25, 2024

Caring for Your Children: Testamentary Guardians for Minors in Pennsylvania

In a previous article, we discussed the Pennsylvania Uniform Transfers to Minors Act (PUTMA), which offers a straightforward way to gift or transfer property to minors without the complexities of establishing a formal trust or extensive court oversight. Additionally, there are mechanisms to address both custody and financial issues related to minors upon a parent’s […]

April 12, 2020

First Line of Defense is Offense- Estate Planning to Take Control of Your Affairs

There are many financial decisions you can control to maximize your estate for your heirs after you pass.  Now more than ever, it is crucial to make sure your affairs are in order.  Pennsylvania is one of several states that still has an inheritance tax. The tax rate for Pennsylvania Inheritance Tax is 4.5% for […]

Last Wills and Testaments – Estate Planning

Last Wills and Testaments are the last people think of when they talk to their families, friends or spouses.  Most people find talking about creating what we call an “Estate Plan” is morbid.  That couldn’t be farther from the truth.  It is a wonderful gift you can give your family and friends.  It not on […]