Estate Planning Articles | Sykes Elder Law Pittsburgh

Certified as an elder law attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation under authorization of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court

Certified as an elder law attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation under authorization of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court

Estate Planning

Sykes Elder Law has a wealth of knowledge and experience dealing with Estate Planning as well as other Elder Law Services. We would be more than happy to discuss your situation and answer your questions; click here to contact us.

If you would like more information about Estate Planning, please review the information in the blog posts below.

Asset protection trust: when is the right time?

Asset protection trust: when is the right time?

Readers of our blog know of the power of an asset protection trust in protecting the elderly’s assets from nursing home spend-down, scams, undue influence, creditors, and various other hazards people encounter in their senior years. This post addresses the question of...
Protecting assets from nursing home spend-down

Protecting assets from nursing home spend-down

$154,435. That is the average cost of one year of nursing care in Pennsylvania.[i]What will those costs do to a senior’s life savings in three years? Five years? How will your spouse survive financially?These are the questions that bring many of our clients to the...
You can challenge beneficiary designations, as in a will contest

You can challenge beneficiary designations, as in a will contest

If you were cheated out of your inheritance because your sister convinced Dad to change his will, leaving everything to her, you probably know you can contest Dad’s will after he dies. But what if your sister convinces Dad to change all the beneficiary designations on...
What if something bad happens to the beneficiary of your will?

What if something bad happens to the beneficiary of your will?

You’re having your Last Will and Testament prepared, and you’ve decided on the beneficiaries who will inherit your estate. Good job! I always say any planning is better than no planning. To have a great estate plan, though, I urge you to consider what might happen to...
Marriage versus cohabitation for elderly couples

Marriage versus cohabitation for elderly couples

Clients who have found love in their senior years (after death of a loved one or divorce) often ask whether it is better to marry or simply live together (cohabitate). The question can raise complex issues in the answer will vary according to the couple’s individual...
Will the bank honor your power of attorney?

Will the bank honor your power of attorney?

A recent article in the New York Times reported on the resistance of banks (and other financial institutions) to honor requests by someone holding power of attorney for an incapacitated person. In one case, the son of a woman with Alzheimer’s disease could not access...