Nursing homes exist for a reason. Many people simply do not have the time or physical ability to provide all of the care an aging loved one requires. As your parents grow older, you may try to help them age in place. Eventually, many families recognize that they need...
Estate Planning
Including charitable gifts in an estate plan
When people in Pennsylvania think about planning for the future, they may wonder about how they can include their plans for charitable gifts into their broader estate plans. While many people want to focus on passing on their assets to their family, others want to...
Estate planning errors to avoid when donating to charity
People in Pennsylvania who are creating an estate plan might want to donate a portion of the estate to charity. However, it is important that they do so in a way that is tax advantageous. Failing to do so is a common mistake. As an example, a person might have three...
Estate planning on a micro level
In addition to addressing inheritance issues, an estate plan can also be used to plan for the possibility of becoming incapacitated and to appoint a guardian for minor children. However, Pennsylvania parents may also want to think about making plans for the immediate...
Estate planning can help prevent family feuds
When people in Pennsylvania pass away, family fights over inheritance can squander the value of the estates they leave behind. Planning to deal with hurt feelings and family drama can be an important part of preparing an estate plan on par with the writing of the...
The benefits of a special needs trust
Pennsylvania residents can think of a trust as a relationship between three entities. There's the donor, who puts the funds into the trust; the trustee, who looks after the assets in the trust; and the beneficiary, who benefits from the assets in the trust. With that...
Divorce may necessitate estate planning revision
Pennsylvania couples who are getting divorced sometimes overlook a key item on the separation to-do list: updating their estate plans. Spouses are often named as beneficiaries of life insurance policies and in wills. These documents should be updated to reflect that...
The importance of reviewing beneficiary designations
When a Pennsylvania resident gets divorced, they should consider changing the beneficiary on their life insurance policy. If an ex-spouse is still listed as the beneficiary, they may be entitled to any death benefit associated with that policy. However, this may not...
Protecting the future with estate planning documents
A survey conducted by Wells Fargo found that many Americans do not have critical estate planning documents put in place. In fact, the data shows that as many as 40 percent of older people in Pennsylvania may not have the documents they need to protect themselves and...
Passing on valuable collectibles in your estate plan
Traditionally families build net worth through the accumulation of currency and property, but many individuals, whether they're aware of it or not, also own rare collectibles that can be worth a lot of money. Passing on these items to heirs doesn't cross the mind of...