Basic Estate Planning

Estate Planning Advice and Solutions in Metro Philadelphia

At the law firm of Berman & Asbel, our attorneys provide comprehensive estate planning advice for individuals and families at different stages of their lives: new parents, successful business owners, empty nesters, retired people, disabled people and anyone who wants the security of positive options in the face of the unexpected or the inevitable.

Contact an experienced lawyer at our office in Media to find out how the basic estate planning tools can help you and your family consider and resolve fundamental questions about asset transfer, disability planning, guardianship and other issues.

A last will and testament is a good starting point for your future planning

The most basic estate planning instrument is the last will and testament. It not only distributes the assets of your estate to the heirs and beneficiaries you choose, your will can also name a guardian for minor children who might survive you, express specific intentions for your funeral or other memorial, as well as the eventual disposition of your remains.

All by itself, a properly drafted and executed will, updated to reflect changing conditions and family needs, can avoid a great deal of confusion and disagreement when you're gone. Most people find that it's a good idea to prepare other basic instruments at the same time, especially powers of attorney.

Powers of attorney can protect you when you can't speak for yourself

A severe stroke or other incapacitating event can render you incapable of managing your own affairs. Others will have to do the best they can for you, and they can sometimes disagree as to what is best. An effective solution is to designate trusted individuals to act in your place through powers of attorney with respect to financial and medical decisions.

A power of attorney can describe the conditions under which another is authorized to act for you, provide instructions and limitations as to the scope of your agent's authority, and generally avoid the problems that some families encounter in the absence of specific authorization and directions.

Some families will also choose to prepare an advance directive to physicians that specifies the particular circumstances under which life support should be terminated in extreme medical conditions. We can advise you whether an advance directive remains necessary in light of your powers of attorney.

We also provide advanced estate planning solutions for specific problems

Our Pennsylvania estate planning lawyers can also help you decide whether your financial and family circumstances might require additional instruments to meet specific goals, such as disability planning, asset protection, estate tax liability management, care for vulnerable relatives or other objectives.

To learn more about the scope of our estate planning practice, contact a lawyer at Berman & Asbel in Media.