Different people have different goals when planning their estates, but a common goal quite a few people have is to avoid probate court. People see probate as expensive, which it can be. They also know that it can mean months before their loved ones can utilize the...


Estate Planning And Probate
Set your estate plan to care for your children
It’s a tragedy when a child loses both parents. While no amount of estate planning could help the child with the emotions they’ll feel during this time, having a plan set for their care could help to minimize the stress they feel in the days following their parents'...
DIY wills may not achieve your purposes
If you’re like a lot of people, you may have put off doing your important estate planning. It’s never pleasant to contemplate one’s mortality but it is necessary to make plans for what is to transpire at the end of your life and beyond. Some Cranberry Township...
New baby? You need to update your estate plan
Around 64% of adults in this country don’t have a will. While this is a bad situation for many people, it is a tragedy for new parents. Not having an estate plan means that your assets will be passed along to beneficiaries based on the state’s intestate laws. But, if...
Trust protectors activate when trust funds come under threat
Families in Pennsylvania interested in segregating their children's inheritance from marital assets should the heirs get married sometimes use trusts to hold the assets. A trust can be set up that names the heir as trustee. This grants the heir some control and access...
Irrevocable trusts often useful for medical professionals
Those in Pittsburgh who want to set up a trust to leave behind for their loved ones after they pass may have heard about irrevocable trusts. Learning more about this type of trust can help when planning an estate.An irrevocable trust is a type of trust that gives...
Avoid these common estate planning mistakes
While everyone knows that they will not live forever, it can still be uncomfortable to discuss and plan for the end. Death and long-term care can be difficult to fathom, but if a person wants to take control of their situation, they will take estate planning and...
Life insurance for estate planning and divorce
Going through a divorce in Pennsylvania can be stressful. It can put a strain on a person's mental, emotional and financial state. Some of the stress of divorce is unavoidable as it is a process that impacts nearly every area of a person's life. It is possible,...
Probating small estates in Pennsylvania
Those who have recently lost a loved one in Cranberry Township may be preparing themselves for the process that most assume to automatically follow: probate. Many hear investment and estate planning experts extol the wisdom of planning to avoid probate (as its costs...
Dispute over author’s work lingers decades after his death
Few in Cranberry Township may realize the enormity of the request they are making when they ask someone to serve as the personal representative or executor of their estates. In many cases, such a responsibility may only be temporary, with one only having to manage the...