Stating your Wishes.  First and foremost, Estate Planning means stating your wishes in a clear and concise manner.  The Estate Planning attorneys at the Elderkin Law Firm will assist you in identifying the issues critical to you and your family, and will assist you in drafting the documents that will ensure that your plans are carried out.  At a minimum, these documents will include an appropriate Will, a durable Power of Attorney, an Advance Medical Directive (also known as a "Living Will") and possibly a Medical Power of Attorney.  These documents might also include beneficiary designations on insurance policies, pension plans, annuities and individual retirement accounts.

Tax Guidance.  It is not an exaggeration that each year brings some change to either the Federal Estate Taxes, the Federal Income Taxes as it relates to Estates or Trusts, and/or changes to Pennsylvania Death or Inheritance Taxes.  With these frequent changes, it is especially important that your Estate Planner be aware of these changes.  More importantly, it is important that your Estate Planner recognize the interplay between death taxes and income taxes.  The Estate Planning attorneys at the Elderkin Law Firm will help you determine how best to reduce the overall tax consequences to your Estate without compromising  your overall wishes.  Finally, many clients today have large balances in pension plans or individual retirement accounts.  The Estate Planning attorneys at Elderkin Law Firm will help you to make the best choices with respect to these tax-deferred vehicles.

Business Succession.  If you or your family has started or continued a family business, a competent Estate Plan is critical to ensuring that the family business will survive and thrive well into the future.  The Estate Planning attorneys at the Elderkin Law Firm can work with you to prepare a strategy for transferring your business to your heirs.  The Elderkin Law Firm has represented a number of individuals involved in family enterprises and have particular expertise in developing business succession plans.  We can also provide guidance in situations where transferring the business within the family is not a desirable goal or feasible.

Medicaid Planning.  The rising cost of nursing home care has led many clients to consider Medicaid Planning.  The Estate Planning attorneys at the Elderkin Law Firm will help you in developing the best strategy to make transfers to family members and to ensure suitable care for you should nursing home care become a necessity.

Estate Administration.  In addition to Estate Planning, the Elderkin Law Firm has assisted hundreds of clients in administering the Estates of relatives and loved ones.  Such assistance includes gathering asset and debt information, preparing an accounting, distributing assets, post-mortem estate planning, and preparing and filing appropriate tax returns.

To learn more about Estate Planning and Estate Administration, please contact one of the attorneys listed in this section with your questions.

Estate Planning Department members:  Thomas J. Minarcik, Joseph T. Messina, John B. Enders,  James H. Richardson, Jr., Craig A. Zonna, Kenneth G. Vasil, David J. Rhodes, and Stacey K. Konkel.