Guiding You In Creating Wills And Trusts

Creating wills and trusts that serve your individual goals and address unique problems as part of a comprehensive estate plan will give you peace of mind and, to the extent possible, protect your assets in the event of death, illness or disability. The attorneys at Shay, Santee, Kelhart & Deschler LLC in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, have the necessary in-depth knowledge of the law and experience to advise you on the legal instruments that best meet your needs.

We represent young families seeking to protect their children, retirees concerned about asset protection and the whole range of clients in between. No matter where you are in your life, contact our Bethlehem wills and trusts lawyers to schedule a confidential consultation.

Collaborating, Evaluating And Creating Estate Plans

Wills and trusts are legal instruments that serve to designate beneficiaries and distribute assets and property. The specific purpose of a trust is to transfer such assets and property to its beneficiaries while preserving maximum value and minimizing taxation.

We use our legal knowledge and experience to advise people on the creation of wills, including simple wills and pour-over wills, and trusts, including revocable (also called living trusts) and irrevocable trusts. Irrevocable and revocable trusts preserve the value of assets, allowing the beneficiary to live off the interest income created by the trust.

In the case of a revocable trust, the creator of the trust may modify the terms of the trust at any time. An irrevocable trust, in contrast, cannot be modified without the permission of the trust’s beneficiary. Upon transfer of assets into the trust, the grantor relinquishes all rights of ownership to the trust and its assets. Other varieties of trusts exist to specifically serve the needs for which they are created, such as a special needs trust, which is created to protect government program eligibility while preserving income.

Our experienced wills and trusts attorneys will listen carefully to your concerns and evaluate your circumstances as a whole as part of advising you on what form of trust best suits your and your family’s needs.

We Can Explain The Best Options For You

For questions about wills and trusts, contact us online or call Shay, Santee, Kelhart & Deschler LLC in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, at 610-295-5328 or toll-free at 877-716-3631. Our Whitehall living trust attorney can also assist with your estate litigation needs, including contested wills, and estate or trust administration needs, as well as with other estate planning needs such as the creation of living wills and financial powers of attorney.