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Estate Planning

More Than Documents

Estate planning is often described as the process of preparing wills and trusts — and while those documents are important, the best estate planning is about much more. It is about making thoughtful decisions now so that your family is protected, your wishes are honored, and the people you love are spared unnecessary difficulty during an already difficult time. At Shober & Rock, we take a comprehensive approach that considers not just what you own, but who you are, what you value, and what you want your legacy to be.

What a Complete Estate Plan Includes

A well-designed estate plan typically includes a last will and testament, a durable financial power of attorney, a healthcare power of attorney, and an advance healthcare directive or living will. Depending on your situation, it may also include one or more trusts — revocable living trusts for probate avoidance, irrevocable trusts for asset protection or tax planning, or specialized trusts for a family member with special needs. We review beneficiary designations on retirement accounts and life insurance policies, coordinate your plan across all asset types, and make sure everything works together as intended.

Planning for Incapacity

One of the most important — and most overlooked — aspects of estate planning is planning for incapacity. If you become unable to manage your own affairs due to illness, injury, or cognitive decline, who will make decisions for you? Without proper planning, the answer may be a court-appointed guardian rather than someone you have chosen. A well-drafted power of attorney and healthcare directive can prevent this outcome and ensure that the right people are empowered to act on your behalf.

Keeping Your Plan Current

Estate planning is not a one-time event. Major life changes — marriage, divorce, the birth of a child or grandchild, the death of a beneficiary, a significant change in assets, or a move to another state — may all require updates to your plan. We encourage our clients to review their documents periodically and to contact us whenever a significant life event occurs.

Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. A will is not just about distributing assets — it is about choosing who receives what, naming an executor to manage the process, and in the case of minor children, naming a guardian. Without a will, Pennsylvania's intestacy laws determine who inherits your estate, which may not reflect your wishes. A will also typically costs far less than people expect and provides significant peace of mind.
A durable power of attorney is a legal document that authorizes someone you trust — your agent — to manage your financial affairs if you become incapacitated. Unlike a regular power of attorney, a durable power of attorney remains effective even if you lose mental capacity. Without one, your family may need to go to court to have a guardian appointed — an expensive and time-consuming process. We strongly recommend that every adult have a current, properly drafted durable power of attorney.
A will takes effect only at your death and must pass through the probate process before assets are distributed. A revocable living trust takes effect during your lifetime, allows you to manage your own assets, and transfers assets to your beneficiaries at death without probate. Trusts also provide greater privacy, since wills become public record through probate. Whether a trust is appropriate depends on the size and nature of your estate, your family situation, and your goals. We help clients understand which approach — or combination of approaches — makes sense for them.
An advance healthcare directive — sometimes called a living will — is a document that expresses your wishes regarding medical treatment if you are unable to communicate them yourself. It may address questions such as whether you want life-sustaining treatment if you are terminally ill, whether you want artificial nutrition and hydration, and what your wishes are regarding organ donation. Paired with a healthcare power of attorney that names someone to make decisions on your behalf, an advance directive is one of the most important documents you can have.

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Thoughtful planning today protects the people you love tomorrow.

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