Making essential healthcare decisions in Pennsylvania can be emotionally challenging, especially when you or a loved one cannot express your wishes. Advance directives, a vital part of healthcare and estate planning, can provide the means to bring clarity and peace of...
Estate Planning
When should you update your advance directives?
Advance directives are essential to your estate plan because they protect your wishes when you cannot express them yourself. In Pennsylvania, there are two types of advance directives that are both valuable. A living will specifies the life-sustaining care you want...
Estate planning considerations for married couples
When an individual becomes married, they almost always consider their spouse and children, if any, when making decisions, minor or significant. These decisions include creating or updating estate plan tools. How a marriage affects an estate’s property distribution...
10 expensive estate planning mistakes to avoid
It is typical for individuals to think about how to guarantee the financial stability of those who matter to them after passing on. Estate planning exists to fulfill this requirement while maximizing potential savings based on the individual's life situation and...
Pennsylvania estate planning tips for the single person
When Pennsylvania residents pass away without a will the state decides how to distribute their assets. For single people, this may mean distant family members come forward to claim the property. But on the other hand, it can also mean the state receives the assets. An...
Consider including a trust in your estate plan
Wills and trusts are two components of an estate planning strategy. While many Pennsylvania residents have straightforward wills that leave everything to their surviving spouse or children, trusts take more effort to create and perhaps manage. Estate planning The...
What should you tell your family about your estate plans?
Talking about estate planning with your Pennsylvania family may involve difficult discussions about death and end-of-life plans. You may be reluctant to have those conversations with your loved ones, but they will benefit the most from having those tough...
What do married couples need to consider during estate planning?
Although discussing death with your spouse may make you uncomfortable, one of you will likely live longer than the other. Choosing a proper estate plan in Pennsylvania protects the surviving spouse financially. Children may also enjoy financial protection when you...
The vital role of estate planning in Pennsylvania
Estate planning is an agreement in which a person decides what will happen to their belongings after death. It is not only for wealthy individuals in Pennsylvania; just about anyone can use it. It offers more benefits like distributing assets, peace of mind, avoiding...
What to think about when creating a beneficiary designation
If assets remain inside of your Pennsylvania estate when you die, they will likely be subject to probate. In most cases, assets that have beneficiary designations attached to them will avoid this process. However, if a designation is not made properly, an item may...