Pittsburgh Estate Planning Attorneys

45+ Years of Helping Clients Plan for Their Futures in Armstrong, Allegheny, Beaver, Washington, Butler, Westmoreland Counties

If you are looking for a Pittsburgh estate planning attorney, please call Herb & Winters Law to schedule a consultation today. Our Pittsburgh estate planning attorneys can help you craft a plan that fits your unique needs and accomplish your goal by drafting an appropriate estate plan. Our Pittsburgh estate planning attorneys perform services including but not limited to wills, powers of attorney, trusts, Medicaid planning, guardianships, and intestacy (dying without a will), and many more services. 

Our Pittsburgh estate planning attorneys also have experience providing services relating to will contests, trust contests, trust litigation, and guardianship. Call Herb & Winters Law today to schedule a consultation with one of our Pittsburgh estate planning attorneys today! 

Call (412) 533-4821 or contact Herb & Winters Law online for a full range of estate planning services in the Pittsburgh area today.

Estate Attorney in Pittsburgh: 

At Herb & Winters Law, the services that our Pittsburgh estate attorneys can provide ranges from estate planning to handling estates (probate and intestate estates), litigation that may arise with trusts and wills, and many other related services. 

 Includes but is not limited to the following: 

Estate Planning in Pittsburgh: 

At Herb & Winters Law, the services that our Pittsburgh estate planning attorneys can provide includes but is not limited to the following: 

1. Will: A will is a legal document that specifies how your assets and property will be distributed upon the testator’s death. The testator is the person who had the will drafted up. If you would like to learn more about wills, then please click on “wills” which will lead you to that webpage. Contact our Pittsburgh estate planning attorneys today if you are interested in having a will drafted up! 
2. Trust: A trust is a legal document wherein trust property will be held by a trustee for the benefit of trustees. A trust is an excellent way to avoid probate and transfer assets to those that you want to benefit after your death. There are many different types of trusts and even more ways that individual trusts can be structured to accomplish your goals. If you would like more information about trusts, please click on “trusts” which will lead you to our trusts webpage. Contact our Pittsburgh estate planning attorneys today if you are interested in potentially having a trust drafted up!
3. Powers of Attorney: A power of attorney is a legal document that specifies who is authorized by law to do certain things on your behalf. The two main parties with a power of attorney are: the principal and the agent. The principal is the person who had the power of attorney drafted up for their benefit. The agent is the person whom the power of attorney authorizes to act on behalf of the principal. If you would like to learn more about powers of attorney, please click on “powers of attorney” which will take you to that webpage. If you are potentially interested in having powers of attorney drafted up, please contact our Pittsburgh estate planning attorneys today to schedule a consultation!
4. Probate (Dying with a Will): If a loved one has recently passed away and you need help with the probate estate (died with a will), then our Pittsburgh estate planning attorneys can guide you through the legal process known as probate. If you would like to learn more about probate, then please click on “probate” which will take you to that webpage. If you need assistance with probate, please call one of our Pittsburgh estate planning attorneys today to schedule a consultation as we also provide those services! 
5. Intestate Estate (Dying without a Will): If a loved one has recently died (without a will), then our Pittsburgh estate planning attorney can guide you through the formal estate process. If you would like to learn more about intestacy, then please click on “intestacy” which will led you to that webpage. Please call one of our Pittsburgh estate planning attorneys to schedule a consultation today if you would like to learn more about intestacy (dying without a will) and assistance with that process. 
6. Trust Contests: If you need an attorney’s assistance with a trust contest, our Pittsburgh estate planning attorneys have experience handling those types of matters as well. If you would like to learn more about trust contests, then please click on “trust contest” which will lead you to that webpage. Please call one of our Pittsburgh estate planning attorneys today if you questions about a trust contest as we have experience handling those types of matters. 
7. Trust Litigation: If you need an attorney’s assistance with trust litigation, our Pittsburgh estate planning attorneys have experience handling those types of matters as well. If you would like to learn more about trust contests, then please click on “trust litigation” which will lead you to that webpage. lease call one of our Pittsburgh estate planning attorneys today if you questions about a trust litigation as we have experience handling those types of matters.
8. Will Contests: If you need an attorney’s assistance with a will contest, our Pittsburgh estate planning attorneys have experience handling those types of matters as well. If you would like to learn more about trust contests, then please click on “will contest” which will lead you to that webpage. Please call one of our Pittsburgh estate planning attorneys today if you questions about a will contest as we have experience handling those types of matters.
9. Guardianships: If you need an attorney’s assistance with guardianship, our Pittsburgh estate planning attorneys have experience handling those types of matters as well. If you would like to learn more about guardianships, then please click on “guardianship” which will lead you to that webpage.
10. Medicaid Planning: One of our Pittsburgh estate planning attorneys can advise you to whether or not you qualify for long-term care assistance support paid by the state or help you take measures – in certain situations – to take estate planning measures to allow you to qualify. If you are interested in Medicaid planning, please click on “Medicaid” which will lead you to that webpage. Contact a Pittsburgh estate planning attorney today! 

What is the benefit of Estate Planning in Pittsburgh? 

1. Control Over Transfer of Assets: By drafting up a will and/or trust, you can take control over exactly who gets what after you die. If you die without a will or trust, then your assets and property will be distributed in accordance with Pennsylvania’s intestacy statute. You have zero control whatsoever as to who gets what because the statute will control who gets what. 
2. Asset Protection: In certain situations, you can draft trusts in a way to protect those assets from creditors, which otherwise would not have been possible without an estate plan.
3. Tax Benefits: In certain situations, an estate plan can be crafted in such a way to create favorable tax treatment. 
4. Avoid Probate: A trust can be utilized to eliminate or reduce the need for the time-consuming and costly-process known as probate. 
5. Hopefully Reduce Chances Family Infighting: If you set out a plan exactly how you want your assets and property distributed, then hopefully this reduces the chances of family infighting over property and assets after you die. 

If you are interested in scheduling a consultation with a Pittsburgh estate planning attorney, then please call Herb & Winters Law today. 

Probate, Wills, and Trusts

Probate is an important court process related to the estate that a person leaves behind. When a Pennsylvania resident or property owner passes away, their death sets into motion the probate process, where the deceased person’s assets are distributed to their beneficiaries or heirs under the supervision of the court and used to pay the decedent’s outstanding taxes and debts.

What is a Will?

A will is a legal document that communicates how you want your probate estate to be distributed upon your death. If a person dies without a will, they lose all control as to how their probate estate will be distributed, and their probate estate will pass in accordance with the Pennsylvania Intestacy statute. If you want to take control of how your probate estate will pass upon your death, it is best to consult Herb & Winters Law to help you draft a will that embodies your wishes and desires. 

What is a Living Will?

A living will, distinct from a standard will, is a legal document that expresses your desire towards certain medical treatments and procedures in the event that you are unable to make such decisions on your own. 

Medical decisions that a living will covers include:

• whether you would want to be tube-fed (and if so, for how long);
• whether you would want to be resuscitated if your heart stops;
• whether you would want to be placed on a mechanical ventilation system if you cannot breathe on your own;
• organ donation matters; and
• if you want to donate your body for medical research.

Let’s say you were in an unfortunate and unexpected accident that caused you to lose all brain function that would allow you to make sound medical decisions. If you had a living will in place, you will have already specified what your wishes are, and you also spare your loved ones from the decision-maker role, which can alleviate a great deal of stress, as such decisions often lead to disagreements, guilt, and fighting among families. 

A trust is another important estate planning tool that allows one party, known as the settlor, to give the legal title of a property to another party, called the trustee, who will then hold title for the benefit of a third party called the beneficiary. 

A trust is a powerful estate planning tool that may allow you to: 

• reduce your estate and gift taxes;
• protect assets from creditors;
• ensure that the assets will be cared for by successor trustees; and
• potentially avoid probate costs.

There is a range of different trusts, including dynasty trusts, revocable trusts, irrevocable trusts, special needs trusts, insurance trusts, testamentary trusts, spendthrift trusts, charitable trusts, QTIP trusts, and animal trusts. Our attorneys can help you determine if a trust is right for you and what type of trust best fits your unique situation.

In the case of disputes arising over wills or trusts, our firm also helps clients with will contests and trust litigation, which may arise due to wrongful conduct, trustee misconduct, or other disputes. If you have concerns over a will or trust, our firm can see if you have grounds for contesting the document and whether you might benefit from contestation.

Call (412) 533-4821 or contact Herb & Winters Law online for a full range of estate planning services in the Pittsburgh area today.

Guardianships in Pennsylvania

Guardianship is also an important estate planning matter that may require the help of an attorney. Recall that a legal guardian has important responsibilities pertaining to the management of estate property handed down to the ward (person in the care of their guardianship). 

Unless the property is distributed or sold, the guardian appointed by the court has the right to: 

• maintain and administer each real and personal asset of the minor to which their appointment extends;
• collect the rents and income from those properties; and
• make all reasonable expenditures necessary to preserve it.

Additionally, whenever the court finds it in the best interests of the minor, a guardian may:

• sell at public or private sale, pledge, mortgage, lease, or exchange any real or personal property of the minor;
• grant an option for the sale, lease, or exchange of any such property;
• join with the spouse of the minor or ward in the performance of any of the foregoing acts with respect to property held; or
• release the right of the ward in the property of their spouse and join in the deed of the spouse on behalf of the minor.

Powers of Attorney (POA)

A power of attorney is a legal document that gives legal authority to a named “agent” or “attorney-in-fact” to make decisions on your behalf if you become incapacitated. You can also set the amount of power that person possesses in dealing with your personal and financial matters. Most people appoint a spouse, adult child, relative, trusted friend, or an attorney as their agent. 

There are several types of POAs you may create, and our firm helps with the following:

• Healthcare Power of Attorney: Details important healthcare decisions that can be made on your behalf such as consenting to or denying medical treatments, diagnostic procedures, and services.
• Financial Power of Attorney: Details important financial decisions that can be made on your behalf such as paying bills, accessing bank accounts, and managing other types of financial affairs.
• General Power of Attorney: Grants broad powers of your affairs including all matters related to your financial affairs, buying and selling property, entering into contracts, firing and hiring employees, making investments, and filing taxes.
• Special Power of Attorney: Grants limited powers over your affairs to the agent such as the power to act with respect to a single transaction, to specific kinds of transactions, or to act within a set period of time.

Learn more about how we can help you create and execute a power of attorney here.

Medicaid Planning

One of our firm’s more unique services is Medicaid planning. The cost of nursing home care continues to skyrocket across the country. If you qualify for Medicaid long-term care benefits, the financial burden could be significantly improved and potentially save you thousands of dollars each month. We can help you determine your eligibility for Medicaid, as well as help you protect your assets by analyzing whether certain exemptions apply. 

Generally, the government requires that you spend almost all your money before providing you with Medicaid for long-term care; however, our attorneys can examine your eligibility for certain exemptions thereby assisting you in asset protection while still qualifying for Medicaid long-term care benefits.

Call our Pittsburgh Estate Attorneys Near You

In short, Pittsburgh estate attorneys at Herb & Winters Law can assist you a variety of services. Be proactive and schedule a consultation today with the Pittsburgh estate attorney at Herb & Winters Law today, so that you can start getting answers to your legal questions. 

Call (412) 533-4821 or contact our firm online for more information.