The attorneys of Miller, Kistler & Campbell are well-versed in all areas of estate planning, from drafting a simple will to establishing a complex irrevocable trust that oversees the distribution of your assets. We work with people from all walks of life to determine which estate plan works best for them and how best to address their assets upon their passing.
Our firm also tracks developments in estate planning laws, and we will contact you if the legalities of your estate planning desires change. With our long-standing presence in the community, we are able to grow with you and manage your estate planning needs as they may change.
We also represent executors, beneficiaries and other interested parties in matters of estate administration and probate throughout central Pennsylvania.
Wills and Other Estate Planning Documents
Our goal with each estate planning client is to convey information that allows you to make the decisions that are right for you. To that end, we will help you craft common estate planning documents and complete them in a manner that most appropriately serves your legacy. Those documents include:
Wills — A will remains the most common form of conveying your desires to your heirs. However, a will also provides directions for other issues like how your assets should be distributed, how your children should be cared for, and whether your assets can be sold upon your death. Our attorneys are able to guide you through each of these considerations to draft a will that is catered entirely to your interests.
- Powers of attorney — A power of attorney authorizes a loved one, typically your spouse, to represent you in financial transactions if you become incapacitated. However, these documents have important legal consequences that you should discuss with an attorney before signing.
- Medical powers of attorney and living wills — A medical power of attorney or living will authorizes your personal representative to oversee your care if you become incapacitated. Most often, these forms determine the circumstances under which you should be fed or resuscitated, when you should be admitted or discharged from a medical facility, and whether you prefer to be cared for at home or in a health care facility. Our lawyers can guide you through these decisions and help ensure that you will be cared for in a manner that reflects your desires.
- Guardianships — Families face difficult decisions when a loved one becomes incapacitated before he or she can execute a power of attorney or other similar paperwork. Our attorneys can professionally guide you through the process of formalizing a guardianship so that you can make decisions on behalf of your loved one.
- Trusts — A trust document allows you to work around the limitations of a simple will. Trusts can provide money for minor children, limit the inheritance of property until certain conditions are met, and minimize liability under local, state, and federal tax and estate laws. We are prepared to advise you on all aspects of establishing a trust that best reflects your desires, in addition to monitoring the effectiveness of that trust document over the course of your lifetime.
- Special needs trusts — Many individuals with special needs qualify for government benefits. We draw on our extensive experience to assist our clients in drafting appropriate trusts for special needs children and other loved ones. In addition, we counsel them regarding how to serve as a trustee of a special needs trust without jeopardizing any benefits for which the beneficiary may qualify.
Helping You Protect What Matters Most
Developing an estate plan allows you to make vital decisions about your future and your assets while ensuring that those you love are taken care of in the future. Please contact us to take the first step.
Our Estate Planning Attorneys
