Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania, Estate-Planning Attorney

When it comes to estate planning, most people don't know whether they need a will or a trust. Either document can tell your heirs how you want your estate distributed upon your death. While a trust can be beneficial for people who have significant assets, the cost (about $2,500) makes many people wonder whether they would be better off with a simple will. Estate planning lawyer John M. Kenney offers a free initial consultation to answer your questions and help you decide which is best for you.

Attorney John M. Kenney has more than 20 years of experience helping individuals and families plan their estates in Pennsylvania. In most cases, the lawyer finds that a simple will (combined with a living will and durable powers of attorney) offers an affordable solution to his clients' estate planning needs.

Much is made of the fact that trusts allow you to avoid probate. While this is true, probate is not necessarily something that everyone wants to avoid. Probate is a court-supervised process, which can be useful if your will is contested. It's less expensive to litigate a will than to litigate a trust. In addition, the probate process has the advantage of cutting off creditor claims much sooner than an estate held in trust. That can be beneficial for people who have creditors or may be subject to lawsuits.

In addition to a will or trust, every estate plan should have a living will. In Pennsylvania, a living will is a declaration of what care you want to receive if you are in a terminal condition with no hope of recovery. Planning now and declaring your wishes in a legal document can help your family avoid a situation similar to the Terri Schiavo case, if you are in a coma and unable to communicate for yourself.

Durable powers of attorney enable you to name a trusted person to make financial and medical decisions for you, if you are incapacitated. These documents will give the named person the legal authority to pay bills, view medical records, and make financial and health care decisions for you.

Free estate planning consultation: Contact attorney John M. Kenney in Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania, for a free initial consultation about your estate.