Maintaining control over your finances and assets in the future is something you need to situate now to safeguard against any unforeseen circumstances. If you don’t take the necessary steps now, your family and loved ones could face weeks or months of difficult and costly legal battles. Our Pennsylvania Estate Planning attorneys are experienced in helping you preserve wealth, minimize taxes, and ensure your property gets transferred to the right hands.
Trust Planning in Pennsylvania
The proper creation and execution of a trust can provide a number of benefits to the people you care about most in your life. This includes probate court avoidance, reducing federal & state inheritance or income taxes, providing long-term care and support to minors or individuals with special needs, shielding your assets against claims from a nursing home, and protecting and properly distributing your assets. Trusts help to fill the gaps and give more strongly directed guidance than a will. They are an integral step in fulfilling your final wishes.
Wills for Pennsylvanians
A will is a legal document that sets instructions for the distribution of your assets once you’ve passed. A will can determine who and how your assets are received by your loved ones, who will be responsible for carrying this out, and, if you have any minor children, who will care for them. This document must go through a probate .
Financial Power of Attorney
This is a legal document that grants another person, called an Agent, the power to make and execute financial decisions on your behalf. A power of attorney may be very broad or very specific depending on the terms you outline in the document. In the possibility you become incapacitated, a financial power of attorney can help your designated Agent complete financial actions on your behalf, such as paying your bills, signing contracts, accessing retirement money, and handling investment decisions.
Health Care Powers of Attorney
This is a document that designates a representative to make health care decisions on your behalf. Appointing a Health Care Powers of Attorney is a vital part of planning for the chance of incapacity during your lifetime. In the event that you are unable to handle your medical affairs or make your own medical decisions, a well-drafted power of attorney will ensure that you get to choose who will be responsible for making decisions about your care.
Living Wills in the State of Pennsylvania
A living will is a legal document that tells others what your wishes are regarding end of life medical care. It lays out when and if you want medical intervention to prolong your life, or if you wish to allow nature to take its course.
Bregman & Lantz Law is dedicated to supporting your Pennsylvania legal needs with Elder Law, Estate Planning, Estate Administration, and Special Needs Planning through every step of the way. We welcome you to contact us to learn more about how our Luzerne County firm can help meet your Estate and Trust Planning goals.
Estate & Trust Planning can help prepare you for the milestones highlighted below.