Estate Planning
Estate Administration
Estate administration involves the “probate” or placing of the original valid Will of record. The opening of an estate involves the executor or administrator taking an oath of fiduciary responsibility for gathering, protecting and distributing estate assets. Many people have elected to place assets into “living trusts.” We counsel and guide individuals through the morass of paperwork, identify probatable, nonprobatable, taxable and nontaxable assets that pass in and outside of these trusts. Generally, the executor or administrator selects the attorney to represent the estate, who may or may not have been the drafter of the Last Will and Testament. Our attorneys have represented estates in many western PA counties.
Wills, Trusts, & Estates
The firm’s attorneys regularly prepare estate plans for clients that include Last Will and Testaments, Testamentary Revocable and Irrevocable Trusts, durable general/specific powers of attorney, healthcare powers of attorney, living wills and family limited partnerships. Properly prepared in advance, these documents can direct assets, save and minimize estate taxes and provide for the surviving spouse and children. The purchase of a home, the arrival of a new baby, bonus and royalty payments from recently signed oil and gas leases and/or an inheritance of wealth are some of the events that can be addressed with estate documents. Jointly held accounts (when appropriate), life insurance and transfer of oil/gas/coal mineral interests and rights are all available tools to pass wealth to family members.
