Northeast Philadelphia and Bucks County Estate Planning Lawyer
Wills • Trusts • Asset Protection • Probate
Drafting a will is an easy thing to ignore. Some people are uncomfortable contemplating their own death while others think nothing will happen to them until "later in life". At Howard M. Hyman, Attorney at Law, we can assure you that you will feel relieved and comforted with an estate plan in place to protect your family and express your wishes. We can evaluate your current financial situation and identify different kinds of estate planning tools that can protect your estate from certain kinds of taxes while providing financial support for your family.
Our practice has given peace of mind to hundreds of families in the area of estate planning, wills, trusts, asset protection and probate administration. Our estate planning lawyer represents residents of the greater Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area, with offices in Philadelphia and Jamison, as well as residents of New Jersey, with an office in Cherry Hill.
A Duty to Your Loved Ones
We believe that people owe a moral obligation to family members to prepare for death or disability, rather than postponing the subject. When people die without a will, too often the wrong people get money and property and the proper beneficiaries get turmoil and lifelong grief.
Howard M. Hyman, Attorney at Law, welcomes you to a free initial consultation to discuss these important issues. He will listen, ask questions and cover topics you never thought about. We will discuss all scenarios, both the predictable and the unlikely, and determine your goals and wishes.
Individualized Estate Plans
Some components of estate planning are standard, but the documents we prepare will be comprehensive and personalized to your unique circumstances. Components include:
- A will to designate who will inherit, and what
- Trusts
- A living will and health care directive to state medical wishes
- Durable powers of attorney for health care and financial action on your behalf if you are incapacitated
- Asset protection through donating to charities and other techniques: You can create a charitable trust that will decrease your tax burden and also contribute to a worthy cause.
Establishing a Trust
A trust is an effective means for providing financial means for a disabled child or ailing spouse, support for a cherished cause, or an education fund for a grandchild. Our attorney can explain how a special needs trust, revocable / irrevocable trust, charitable remainder, or testamentary trust can help you achieve your goals. If you are trying to plan for the health care needs of a family member, a trust can exempt funds from certain kinds of taxes and Medicaid eligibility calculations.
Probate and Estate Administration
Our services extend beyond the initial estate planning. An estate requires periodic review and updating, and we are happy to do so for our clients. We would hate to see an estate plan that we established fall into disarray and cause problems in probate.
We also handle the probate of a will and distribution of the estate's assets after the owners have passed away. Regardless of whether an estate plan was well-drafted or an estate is in disarray, any executor or administrator will need assistance with probate administration to carry out their duties.
Contact Us
For a free initial consultation with an experienced Pennsylvania estate planning lawyer, contact one of our offices. Evening and weekend appointments are available, and we have translators for clients who speak Vietnamese, Cantonese, and Mandarin Chinese.
