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635 E. High Street
Pottstown, PA 19464

635 E. High Street | P.O. Box 657 | Pottstown, Pennsylvania 19464

Estate and Personal Planning Basics – How to Really Help Your Family

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Many people find themselves in difficult situations involving decision-making for a loved one who left no instructions. Who stands to inherit if someone dies without a Will? What happens when an elderly parent becomes too mentally feeble to handle his or her finances? Maybe the adult children will begin to find collection agency letters around the parents' house or find the mail is just stacked up in a corner somewhere. If a spouse becomes suddenly, seriously ill and cannot communicate about health care decisions, what can the other spouse do? Do you know where to find all of your spouse's or parents' computer login information for financial records, including passwords?

I have heard these and many similar stories from clients and acquaintances. These situations caused a great deal of grief and frustration and sometimes cost substantial expense to those left to handle things.
I counsel all of my clients to prepare four basic personal and estate planning documents:

1. A Will;
2. A General Power of Attorney;
3. An Advance Health Care Directive; and
4. An Instruction List containing general information about the location of personal and financial information along with the instructions on accessing that information.

Our website ( www.whhslaw.com ) has information about Wills, General Powers of Attorney and Advance Health Care Directives.
An Instruction List should contain information such as:

- Location of files containing financial information
- Location of keys to safe deposit and lock boxes and the location of the boxes
- Names and contact information of insurance agents, investment advisor, lawyer and brokerage firms
- File names and login information for computer files – including passwords
- Copies of Will, General Power of Attorney and Health Care Directive

These same documents were recently recommended on the AARP website at:
http://www.aarp.org/money/estate-planning/info-06-2009/pond_cornerstone_of_estate_plan.html

This short article is provided to help you begin the planning process. This is not a
substitute for a thorough discussion about the legal implications of these types of documents with your attorney. We are available for consultation. Feel free to contact us for an appointment.

Kurt Holloway
Wells, Hoffman, Holloway & Stauffer, LLP
610 323-7464
635 E. High Street Pottstown, PA 19464

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All attorneys of Wells, Hoffman, Holloway & Stauffer, LLP are licensed only in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. None of the lawyers in this firm practice law or give legal advice regarding any matter in any other State or Commonwealth. All information contained in this website is specific to Pennsylvania. No attorney client relationship is established by reading the information contained on this website. An attorney client relationship can only be established by direct, in-person, communication with one of the firm’s attorneys.

Wells, Hoffman, Holloway & Stauffer Attorneys at law serving eastern PA including Chester County, Berks County and Montgomery County and Philadelphia, Reading, Allentown, Pottstown, Boyertown Gilbertsville, New Hanover, Coventry, limerick Douglassville, Phoenixville, Schwenksville, East West Norriton, King of Prussia, Valley Forge, Norristown, Lansdale, West Chester, Coatesville and specializing in Business and personal law including Bankruptcy, Consumer Bankruptcy, Debt Relief & Assistance, Foreclosures , Discrimination, Communications & Media, Libel, Slander and Defamation, Consumer Law, Consumer Fraud, Criminal Law, Driving While Intoxicated, Drug Crimes, Felonies, Homicide, Juvenile Law, Misdemeanors, Parole and Probation Sexual Assault, Traffic Violations, Elder Law, Family Law, Adoptions, Child Custody, Child Support, Divorce, Premarital Agreements, Spousal Support, Visitation Rights, General Practice, Health Care, Health Insurance, Long Term Care, Medicare and Medicaid, Labor and Employment, Americans with Disabilities Act, Discrimination, Family Medical Leave Act, Sexual Harassment, Wrongful Termination, Personal Injury, Real Estate, Landlord Tenant Law , Residential Real Estate, Social Security, Social Security Disability, Taxation, Estate and Gift Taxation, Trusts and Estates, Asset Protection, Estate Litigation, Estate Planning, Guardianship and Conservatorship, Wills and Probate, Zoning, Planning and Use, Banking Law, Mortgages, Bankruptcy, Business Law, Business Formation, Business Litigation, Business Planning, Buying and Selling Businesses, Family Business Law, Joint Ventures, Limited Liability Company Law, Partnership Law, Small Business Law, Contracts, Breach of Contract, Labor and Employment, Employment Contracts, Personnel Policies, Real Estate, Commercial Leasing, Commercial Real Estate, Landlord and Tenant Law, Mortgages, Zoning, Planning and Land use.