THE INJURY AND DISABILITY LAW FIRM
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By David S. DeRose, Esquire When we sit down to discuss who will benefit from what we have accumulated during our lifetime, we start with creating an accurate summary of our assets and our debts. We talk about houses, vehicles, bank accounts, pension and retirement accounts, life insurance, investments and other things of value that belong…
By Dennis B. Rafferty, Esq. Law schools routinely use actual cases in order to teach basic principles to their students. It is important to know what went wrong in the past to avoid making the same mistakes in the future. This is particularly true in the world of “form wills”. Many clients come to our office…
By David S. DeRose ~ No Current Will ~ Your will expresses your intent at the time of your death. Whom have you designated to receive your property? Whom have you selected to administer your affairs? Sometimes wills are made when people are just starting their families, and they are now inadequate and out of…
By David S. DeRose, Esq. Local newspapers carry weekly advertisements for seminars on how to save time and money by avoiding probate. In fact, probate in Pennsylvania is not as burdensome as it is portrayed. Upon death, the initial legal inquiry concerns assets in the deceased person’s name, such as real estate, stocks, bank accounts, vehicles…
By David S. DeRose In previous articles, we have emphasized the importance of making known your wishes for your medical treatment in the event you become unable to make these decisions for yourself (medical power of attorney) and your wishes for end-of-life decisions (living will). Together, these documents are now referred to as an advance…
By David S. DeRose, Esq. There are various reasons that parents may desire to transfer the family home to their children: to avoid Pennsylvania inheritance taxes , to possibly keep a nursing home from being able to eat away the value of the property or to avoid the probate process. While these are all legitimate concerns, the gift…
By James A. Horchak, Esq., C.P.A. Perhaps you have seen newspapers or television advertisements for living trusts, suggesting that a living trust can substitute for a will. Often times, these ads exaggerate the costs and delays in estate administration using a will. Before you make a decision about using a living trust, you should know exactly…
By David S. DeRose, Esq. Shortly before this newsletter went to print in March 2005, the Florida case involving Terri Schiavo was in the news every day, tugging at our heartstrings and showing the complications which can arise from the absence of a living will . If we learn anything from the Schiavo matter, it is the importance…
By David S. DeRose, Esq. Frequently, in our practice, we are confronted with many misconceptions concerning Pennsylvania inheritance tax. The Pennsylvania inheritance tax is a tax on property at the time of someone’s death and is imposed upon the transfer of that property. One common misconception is that spouses have to pay inheritance tax on property…
By David S. DeRose, Esq. We continue to encourage our clients to prepare a will so as to be in complete control of those who will benefit from the passage of their property at death. The importance of a will to direct the transfer of assets and to select who will administer your estate after…
