* Chester County Probate Wills Estates Lawyers
Probate
Be aware of the statement that Probate should be avoided in PaProbate is merely the first step of the Estate Administration process
And a relatively simple procedure in Pa
Probate begins by presenting a few documents to the Register of Wills
Death Certificate,
Decedent's Last Will
Brief Probate Petition, and
Check for payment of the (nominal) Fees
If a Last Will
Exists ~ it is formally accepted for Probate and Letters Testamentary are issued to the "Executor" named in the Last Will
Does not exist, or no named Executor is available ~ Letters of Administration are granted to an "Administrator"
Be aware of the assertion that Probate should be "avoided" at, virtually, all costs
Some states do have onerous Probate procedures (where avoidance of Probate may be a prudent strategy). However, Pa is not one of those states, and Pa is a very "Probate-Friendly" state. Virtually to the contrary, in Pa, the seemingly universal theme that Probate should be avoided at all costs, is just simply not true. In fact, the word "Probate" is merely the Latin infinitive verb that means "to prove" ~ nothing more!
John has had his legal articles published by the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, the Pennsylvania Law Weekly, and the Martindale.Com website, and he has had his law blogs published on the Lawyers.Com website. John concentrates his legal practice solely in the areas of Estate Law, Estate Planning, Estate Administration, Executor Representation, Probate, Ancillary Probate, Last Wills, Decedents Estates, Powers of Attorney, Advance Directives, Trust Law, Living Wills, Fiduciary Law, Inheritance, Inheritance Tax, Trusts and Estates, Trust Administration, Cemetery Law, Tax Law, Estates Taxation, and Estate Planning for Unmarried Couples.
John B. Whalen, Jr., J.D., LL.M. is an AV Peer Review Attorney and Counselor at Law and a member of the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers. He has spoken for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, and the Delaware County Estate Planning Council.
John serves, and has served, individuals and attorneys in the Southeastern Pennsylvania Metropolitan Area (and throughout the country), including Chester County Pa, Delaware County Pa, Lancaster County Pa, Montgomery County Pa, and Philadelphia County Pa. John has served clients in Ambler Pa, in Ardmore Pa, in Aston Pa, in Berwyn Pa, in Blue Bell Pa, in Bridgeport Pa, in Broomall Pa, in Bryn Mawr Pa, in Chadds Ford Pa, in Chesterbrook Pa, in Chester Heights Pa, in Chester Springs Pa, in Coatesville Pa, in Collegeville Pa, in Conshohocken Pa, in Devon Pa, in Downingtown Pa, in Drexel Hill Pa, in Eagleville Pa, in Easttown Pa, in Elkins Park Pa, in Exton Pa, in Frazer Pa, in Great Valley Pa, in Haverford Pa, in Havertown Pa, in Jeffersonville Pa, in Kennett Square Pa, in King of Prussia Pa, in Lansdale Pa, in Limerick Pa, in Linfield Pa, in Linwood Pa, in Lower Merion Pa, in Malvern Pa, in Media Pa, in Narberth Pa, in Newtown Square Pa, in Norristown Pa, in Oaks Pa, in Overbrook Pa, in Paoli Pa, in Parkesburg Pa, in Phoenixville Pa, in Plymouth Meeting Pa, in Pottstown Pa, in Radnor Pa, in Ridley Park Pa, in Rosemont Pa, in St. Davids Pa, in Springfield Pa, in Strafford Pa, in Swarthmore Pa, in Thorndale Pa, in Tredyffrin Pa, in Trooper Pa, in Upper Merion Pa, in Valley Forge Pa, in Villanova Pa, in Wayne Pa, in West Chester Pa, in Westtown Pa, in Whitemarsh Pa, in Willistown Pa, in Wynnewood Pa, and in Yeadon Pa.
