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The True Cost of Doing It Yourself
By Gloria Black, Paralegal I grew up in a family of do-it-yourselfers. You probably know the type. When something broke, they fixed it themselves. They rarely asked for help, and they certainly...
Do I Need a Trust?
Like many estate planning attorneys, we are seeing an increase in the number of current and new clients asking us if they need a Trust as part of their estate plan. The conversation usually goes...
2026 Inheritance Tax Update
As we have previously written, each year changes occur in the Federal Estate Tax Exemption and Gift Tax Exemption amounts. Effective January 1, 2026, the federal estate tax exemption is $15 million...
Choosing the Right Executor: A Paralegal’s Practical Advice
By Paralegal, Gloria Black As your favorite paralegal (and if I’m not yet, it’s only because we haven’t met), I’d like to share some practical advice. I’m Gloria, a paralegal with Maselli, Mills...
NEW YEAR, NEW ESTATE and GIFT TAXES
Each year changes occur in the Federal Estate Tax Exemption and Gift Tax Exemption amounts. Effective January 1, 2024, the federal estate tax exemption will increase to $13.61 million. (In 2023, it...
You want control over your life, so why not over your death?
I am continually amazed when I learn of a celebrity who died without a Will. For example, most recently, actress Anne Heche is reported not to have a Will. Her 20-year old son is petitioning the...
A Tip for Wire Fraud Prevention
Title companies, brokers and lending institutions are being cautioned that scammers are increasingly targeting them by sending forged emails to their clients instructing that funds be wired to...
Commissions for Executors
Q & A from the Attorneys at Maselli Warren, P.C.: Q: I was named as the Executor of my late mother’s will. Can Executors of a Pennsylvania Decedent’s Estate take a commission? John L. A: John,...
Assets which are subject to Probate vs. Assets that are non-Probate
When someone prepares a Will, a common misconception is that everything the testator owns gets passed through the Will to beneficiaries. However, not all assets will pass through the Will. Only...
When Legal Fees are Tax Deductible
The government looks to tax every time something of value changes hands, so it should be of no surprise that lawyers need to be aware of the tax implications to their clients in the matters in which...