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A problem for many clients suffering from illness or the ravages of old age is that they are not physically able to travel to their Chester County estate planning lawyer’s office. Pennsylvania has by statute addressed this problem by allowing lawyers to witness a client’s signature, and then take that to document to a notary and have the document notarized.

Every journey starts with the first step, and your estate planning begins with assembling information and answering questions. Your estate plan’s complexity will depend on many factors, including your family and its unique set of circumstances, the type and value of your assets, your overall financial plan and your ideas on how you would like to divide what remains of your estate at your death.

The Philadelphia Register of Wills office is tasked with probating the wills of deceased, Philadelphia residents. Probate is the process by which the will of a deceased Philadelphian is judged by the Register to be valid or invalid.

If you are a resident of Gloucester County, New Jersey, and have executed a valid New Jersey will, that will dictates the distribution of the property you owned at your death. The will is not limited to your property within Gloucester County, and will determine who receives your property no matter where it is located throughout the world.

The short answer is everyone. The plan might be simple or complex, but without a plan you might not address avoidable family conflicts and tax problems.

Estate planning is the process of developing a plan for the transfer of your property at your death. An estate plan can be simple or complex. The need for simplicity or a more complex plan will depend on your own assets, your family dynamics, the possible problems faced by your heirs, tax issues and legal limitations.

While it is not a requirement, naming alternative beneficiaries in your will and in your beneficiary designation forms is a good idea.

Estate planning is the process of making a plan from today until your death, and if done correctly, makes plans that can benefit your heirs long after your death.

Many people mistakenly believe estate planning only involves having a will drafted by a Philadelphia estate planning attorney. While having a will is an important step, a will by itself might not be able to address all of your unique tax and family issues. A proper estate plan involves an examination of your family, any other persons or charities that you may want to benefit at your death, as well as all your assets.

If you have life insurance, you likely have determined that if you die there is a financial need that must be addressed by your absence. Because of this determination, you pay a small amount each year in premium to the life insurance company for the guarantee that if you die a larger sum of money will be delivered to the named beneficiary.

All wills filed with the Philadelphia Register of Wills are public records. The Philadelphia Register of Wills has records going back to 1924, and all records in the Philadelphia Register of Wills office are open and available to the public.