Allentown Probate Attorney
Creating an estate plan is a great way to put your mind at ease by protecting loved ones in the event of your death, illness or disability. At Littner, Deschler & Littner, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, we know that adequately protecting your loved ones involves in-depth knowledge of the law.
Our clients include a wide range of people from young families seeking to protect their children, just in case, to older retirees concerned about protecting their assets later in life. We use our legal knowledge and experience to help people navigate the estate planning process, no matter where you are in life.
Estate Planning
A proper estate plan may include a will, a living trust, a financial power of attorney and a durable health care power of attorney, sometimes referred to as a living will. You may also need some supplemental documents to tie things all together. At Littner, Deschler & Littner, we work closely with clients to create an estate plan that addresses a wide range of issues:
- Who do you trust to make medical and financial decisions?
- Who do you want to leave your assets to?
- Who should take care of your minor children?
- When should your beneficiaries receive their inheritances?
A will is a written document in which you direct how your property shall be distributed and to whom after death and in which you name an executor (estate administrator) who is responsible for taking an inventory of your property, preserving your estate, paying creditors and taxes, and disposing of the property to beneficiaries. You may also designate a guardian for minor children.
A Power of Attorney is a written document in which you authorize a person or persons to act as your "Agent," usually a spouse and other family members. The Agent is given broad powers to act on your behalf, including the ability to make decisions on financial and medical matters.
A Durable Health Care Power of Attorney is a written document in which you declare whether you want certain types of life sustaining treatment in the event you are unable to communicate with your doctor and in the event you are in an end stage medical condition, that is, you have been diagnosed as terminally ill or are in a state of permanent unconsciousness. The document also allows your agent to make medical decisions for you if you are not in an end stage medical condition, but are unable to make decisions on your own.
Estate Administration/Probate
Probate. Many people have heard of it, but few know what it is until they go through it. Probate is not the evil that some make it out to be. It is merely the court-supervised procedure in which your property is inventoried, your debts and inheritance taxes are paid and your property is distributed to your beneficiaries. Do not be misled by some practitioners who charge large sums to prepare a "living trust" for people who do not need one. Living trusts may avoid probate, but they do not reduce your administration costs or your inheritance and estate taxes.
At Littner, Deschler & Littner, we guide estate executors and administrators through the probate process to make sure that things go smoothly. Our experienced lawyers — Robert H. Littner and Robert V. Littner — have in depth knowledge of the estate administration process, which we use to help you achieve the best possible results effectively and with a minimum of stress.
Estate Litigation — Contested Wills
Things do not always go smoothly when administering an estate. Family disagreements can become heated, and many people need a lawyer's help to resolve matters. At Littner, Deschler & Littner, we can help you and your family resolve disputes related to contested wills. These disputes may be related to undue influence, lack of testamentary capacity or misuse of interests in property.
Contact a Bethlehem Estate Planning Attorney
To contact us regarding your legal concerns, call Littner, Deschler & Littner at 610-295-5328 or toll free at 877-716-3631. You may also complete our online contact form to arrange a confidential consultation with an experienced lawyer.
