As an inheritance lawyer in Allentown, Pennsylvania, we at Klenk Law understand that it may be difficult for you to discuss your personal affairs. Especially those which involve your death, assets, and who will receive them. However, we encourage you not to ignore this sensitive topic. Ignoring the inevitable leads to legal and financial implications that may burden those you love most. Guided by more than 25 years of experience, we want to see your family protected. We are ready to provide a comfortable environment to start planning your estate.
If you would like to learn more about our services, or are prepared to take the first steps, please call an Allenstown, PA inheritance lawyer from Klenk Law.
When someone in Pennsylvania dies without a valid will or estate plan, the assets pass through intestacy. The intestacy laws vary by state. Intestacy also increases the chance of court involvement.
Intestate succession is meant to distribute assets in a way that resembles how an average person would do it had they drafted a will or estate plan. However, in practice, this isn’t always true. There is a good chance the state rules do not reflect your wishes.
Even if you verbally express your wishes to another person, the state will usually refuse to consider this testimony. Furthermore, heirs may view with suspicion when a will is “suddenly discovered” outside a lawyer’s office. Such circumstances can trigger litigation. In general, when issues like these arise, you’ll want an inheritance lawyer in Allentown, PA on your side.
Established in 1990, the Uniform Probate Code is at the core of most states’ legislation regarding estates and probate. In this code, the immediate family members, and not distant relatives, will be given the assets of the deceased. These members could include the surviving spouse, children, legally adopted children, and parents. If no immediate family members exist, the rules consider grandparents, aunts, and uncles. Should there be no remaining family members or relatives, the estate will likely go to the state where it may be auctioned off.
If you do not want this to happen to your assets, you should start planning an estate as soon as possible. An estate lawyer Allentown, PA residents trust from Klenk Law can guide you through the process to ensure your estate is legally binding.
Most people would not want their estate going to intestacy. Avoid intestacy through careful planning and preparation. To speak with an inheritance lawyer Allentown, PA clients recommend who can help, call Klenk Law.
When spouses are going through the process of divorce, many people fail to address estate planning. If you are in the process of getting divorced, you should ensure that your finances and assets are protected for your benefit and for the benefit of your heirs. It is highly possible that during the course of your marriage you and your spouse sat down and made estate plans. Or, you may be just now determining that it is time to create your own estate plan.
An experienced estate lawyer in Allentown, Pennsylvania based at Klenk Law can walk you through the process of how an estate plan will fit into the realities of your divorce. It is important to ensure your assets are properly protected during your divorce. Further, if you already created an estate plan with your spouse, you likely have certain items in that plan that you wish to change. To see how we can help, please speak with an estate lawyer in Allentown, Pennsylvania today.
Many spouses choose to create a will together during their marriage. When this happens, each spouse typically names the other as the primary beneficiary of the will when it comes to receiving assets. If this is how you and your spouse approached estate planning, you will likely want to throw out the original will and create a new one once you divorce. Some states make it harder for the testator to eliminate a spouse from their will, but there is usually a relatively straightforward way to distance your spouse and your estate plan. An estate lawyer in Allentown, Pennsylvania can help.
Unlike a will, a trust can be much harder for someone to reverse. In fact, some trusts are irrevocable. You may have set up your trust so that you were the first trustee and thus able to move assets around. However, trusts can be much trickier to manage and change and it is best to speak with an estate lawyer in Allentown, Pennsylvania about the best way to manage this situation.
Many people have payable-on-death accounts, such as a retirement account, checking, or savings accounts. Instead of going through the hassle of the probate process for your spouse (or another beneficiary) to get money, many bank accounts allow the account holder to directly assign money to a beneficiary. All that beneficiary needs upon your death is a death certificate and financial forms that the bank deems as necessary.
As the account holder, you should be able to go back to your financial institution and make any necessary beneficiary changes during or after your divorce. An estate lawyer in Allentown, Pennsylvania can answer any questions you may have about this challenge or any others related to estate planning during or post-divorce. Please don’t wait. Seek legal guidance by scheduling a consultation with our team today. We look forward to speaking with you.
Peter Klenk is the founding member of Klenk Law, a seven attorney boutique estate planning law firm. We serve clients in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Minnesota and Florida. Peter Klenk received his Masters in Taxation LL.M. from NYU Law School and his J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School. He served his country in the Navy JAGC during Desert Storm. Easy to talk to, feel free to call Peter for an appointment. We will make the process as easy as possible!
Peter provided outstanding advice and preparation of a will and trusts.
Peter was excellent. He explained everything very clearly and is super friendly. My wife and I originally tried using a lawyer through group legal coverage, but unfortunately the old adage - "you get what you pay for" - applied to the other lawyer, and we decided to go with a real professional.
When it came down to picking the right attorney to handle my affairs, I knew right away it was this firm. From speaking to their secretary to speaking to Peter I knew I was making the right decision. After only a few mins Peter knew right away what I was looking for and handled all my questions professionally and even gave me great feedback that put my mind at ease. All that without even giving a single penny! So of course I hired him! So far so good...
AWESOME LAWYER! Peter Klenk is an exceptional attorney and a very nice person! Today I spoke with Peter about estate planning and was impressed with by his professionalism, cordiality, and attention to detail. I highly recommend Klenk Law for probates, wills, trusts, and other issues germane to estate planning!
Great friendly staff
Tremendous firm with bright, kind and tenacious people. Great representation for our family.
I'm totally satisfied with Klenk Law. Peter has a great legal mind with the personality of the guy next door.
Everything about my experience was a 10+! Peter and his staff made what I thought would be a difficult process easy and understandable. Every detail was handled correctly. No other firm could possibly do better than Klenk Law!
Peter and his staff are very responsive and always willing to help my clients and in a cost efficient manner.
Like another reviewer, I contacted Peter through his website using the free consultation link, for a question regarding PA inheritance taxes. The question was quite technical and difficult to explain, and the answer was nowhere to be found on the web. Peter grasped precisely what I was asking, and provided a clear, helpful response (with a touch of humor) the very next day.
Answered my question quickly and referred me to a colleague that could handle my problem
Mr. Klenk, quickly understood the circumstances presented and provided clear and concise advice. This advice provided me with the information I required to progress the case to my advantage.
Peter is excellent. I had a very complicated situation with my parents' estate planning and potential Medicaid needs. Peter was very knowledgeable in estate planning matters, able to define the best solution for the situation. Additionally, he was congenial and able to communicate effectively to my senior citizen parents the benefits of estate planning. He earned my trust, and more importantly, my parents' trust in a 45 mins consultation period. Highly recommend Peter. He is very easy to work with.
Peter recently gave a presentation about Wills & Trusts at my employer, and it was fantastic! He was extremely knowledgeable and provided valuable information to the group. People were very engaged and asked several questions, all of which Peter thoroughly answered. Personally, my husband and I have selected Peter to help us with our estate planning, and he has been very helpful in providing us with all of the information we need to provide a secure future for our family. Thank you, Peter!
Peter provided outstanding advice and preparation of a will and trusts.
Peter explained things in a way that was easy to understand. Everything was done in the time frame he said it. Could not have been better!
You & your staff are the best thank you for everything.
Peter and his staff handled all of our needs in a very professional and timely matter.
Peter Klenk made a complex subject understandable and allowed us to move forward with our estate planning. He was patient with our questions and creative in the solutions he proposed.
Peter explained a complex subject very clearly, helped us to decide the best approach to managing our estate and then made it very easy for us to execute the required documents. He will be a valuable resource for years to come and clearly has a great understanding of estate law that will lead to innovative solutions for us. I would unhesitatingly recommend him for estate planning.
Fantastic customer service. Very personable and most importantly they provide great explanations of what is required based on your individual needs. Highly recommend Klenk Law for anyone that needs to create a will and estate documents.
Always professional and very responsive. Everyone on the staff that I have worked with. I look forward to continuing our relationship.
Surprisingly easy
Affable...yet surprisingly cerebral estate planning atty. High marks all the way around.
Peter and his associates made things easy for us.
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