Blog & Resources

From our “Ask a Question” mailbag: Before she died, my mother-in-law lived in my Bucks County, Pennsylvania house and required round-the-clock care, which I provided. My husband’s brother and sister did not even visit. Now that she has died, her estate is being divided up between the children. They refuse to compensate me for all the work I did caring for their mother. Can I make a claim to be paid?

Your mother-in-law’s estate is to be divided up between the heirs as her will dictates, or through the rules of intestacy if she had no will. Prior to the division of the assets, all creditors must be paid.

From our “Ask a Question” mailbag: My neighbor promised to give me her Montgomery County house in her will. She died recently and her son, who did not talk to her for 10 years, has filed a will from the 1970s that leaves him everything. Can I challenge that will?

If I understand the facts correctly, your neighbor died and—to the best of your knowledge, her most recent Will was the one her Son filed with the Montgomery County Register of Wills. That Will is very old, but as far as you know, is the most recent Will she signed. Though she verbally promised to give you the house in Montgomery County, she failed to write a new Will.

From our “Ask a Question” mailbag: My stepfather died about a year ago and left me a very nice truck in his will. The executor stopped taking my calls about when I would get the truck. I just found out he used the truck to haul his boat on a recent fishing vacation. How do I get the executor to give me my inheritance?

Just when I think I’ve heard it all about bad executors, you give me a story of an executor who drives estate assets on his own fishing trip.

From our “Ask a Question” mailbag: I have signed a General Power of Attorney giving my daughter the power to act for me, but I don’t want her to have it yet. I only want her to have it when (and if) I become unable to care for myself. Should I keep it in my safe deposit box? We both live in Montgomery County, so she is close by.

The problem with putting your General Power of Attorney in your safe deposit box is that if you become incapacitated, your daughter will likely be unable to get into the box. If you have died, there is a process to open the box. But, that process is much more complex if you are still alive and incapacitated.

From our “Ask a Question” mailbag: I created a Revocable Living Trust to avoid probate with the Philadelphia Register of Wills, but I have decided that I would like to form a trust that would pay for my nieces college education. Can I do this using my Revocable Living Trust?

You can certainly form an Education Trust within the terms of your existing Revocable Living Trust. A Living Trust is divided into two main parts; the terms that apply when you are alive and the terms that apply after your death.

What I can do is draft an amendment to your existing Revocable Living Trust adding the Education Trust into the “what happens after your death” portion.

From our “Ask a Question” mailbag: I have served as the Executor for my sister’s Chester County estate for over a year and want to close the estate. Her son claims that I have embezzled money from the estate. This is ridiculous. Can I close the estate while he makes these claims?

As the executor, you could make an “at risk” distribution of the estate assets. This means you distribute the money without your nephew’s agreement. This is not advisable, as your nephew could then use his inheritance to hire a Chester County Orphans’ Court Lawyer and force you to file a formal account.

From our “Ask a Question” mailbag: My wife and I updated our wills several years ago, when our kids were younger. How often should we update them?

We were recently hired by an executor to probate the will of a client whose Will was signed in the 1970s. That will was over 40 years old, but it was the last will the client ever signed, and it was never revoked. Therefore, that Will was accepted for Probate. So, a will does not have to be updated if it still reflects your wishes.

From our “Ask a Question” mailbag: Last year, my mother died in Bucks County and named me as beneficiary of her life insurance. As my children were the contingent beneficiaries, I decided to disclaim the inheritance, so the insurance money passed to my children. I was recently in a car accident. If I am sued can they claim that life insurance money?

No one can force you to take an inheritance.

If you properly disclaimed your interest in the life insurance, then you never received it. If you never received it, then any future creditor that you may have cannot claim the asset.

From our “Ask a Question” mailbag: My father died a few months ago as a resident of Bucks County. I was named as executor in his Will. My siblings and I need our inheritance now to pay off some bills, but we are worried about my dad’s creditors coming forward and asking to be paid. Is there a statute of limitations for creditors to come forward? If I don’t wait, can I ever be personally responsible for the estate debts?

Your father’s death did not end his obligation to pay unpaid bills. By taking on the job of executor, you have the power and duty to marshal his assets and pay his outstanding bills. Compared to other states, Pennsylvania is creditor-friendly. If you have notice of a creditor, you are expected to address the claim.

From our “Ask a Question” mailbag: The lawyer serving as the executor for my aunt’s Philadelphia estate has sent me documents called an Informal Account and a Receipt, Release, Refunding and Indemnification Agreement. If I sign this, do I waive my rights to ask any questions?

As a beneficiary of your aunt’s estate, you have the right to have a probate attorney force the executor to file a Formal Account with the Philadelphia County Orphans’ Court. But, assembling a Formal Accounting will be a cost to the estate and may reduce your inheritance. Typically, when there are no disputes, the executor will instead assemble an Informal Accounting of the estate’s assets and expenses. This Informal Accounting is then submitted to the Beneficiaries for review.