Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett signed Act 95 of 2014 into law a few days ago, changing the laws on Powers of Attorney in Pennsylvania.

Act 95 makes the several major changes to requirements of Powers of Attorney. Some of the changes include:

Agent Responsibility: An agent now has a...

The term "simple will" is heard often, and usually implies that someone does not think their estate is big enough or complex enough to warrant any planning.

However, the size or complexity of an estate does not seem to matter, for people who are set on a "simple will" range from very poor to very...

It's not uncommon to hear people confuse a will and an estate plan. A will can be part of an estate plan, but is not a complete estate plan.

The question is, what is a "complete" family estate plan? Here's my definition broken down into bullet...

We’ve all heard at least one estate planning horror story.  Or we’ve seen one on TV.  The surprise mistress that is given a large cut, the one child that has been written out of a will or feuding family factions each producing a different copy of the will.  It all makes for great...

As we rapidly approach the end of the year, it’s a good time to do a quick review of your estate plan before the holidays become too distracting. I see many critical problems with old estate plans, but fortunately when folks meet with me, I can correct the mistakes. Speaking of mistakes, here are...

Death and taxes are certain, but so is another item: Uncertainty. You’re bound to face surprises in your life down the road, and one of those surprises may be the need for some form of long-term care. As we have a better chance of living longer, so we have a better chance of needing...

The New York Times published an article two days ago entitled “To Collect Debts, Nursing Homes Are Seizing Control Over Patients.” As I began to read thearticle, two colleagues and a friend sent me a link to the story. We were all stunned.

In essence, author Nina Bernstein paints the picture of a nursing...

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This is not breaking news, but it’s an important reminder: A well-drafted Power of Attorney ensures that if you become incapacitated, a person you trust can step...

In this blog, we explore 10 common questions about Powers of Attorney in Pennsylvania. Powers of Attorney are a fundamental part of your estate plan, so make sure you see an estate planning attorney to discuss your Powers of Attorney. 

Why do I need a Power of Attorney? A Power of Attorney (POA) is...