Will & Trust Attorneys in Central Pennsylvania

The estate planning attorneys at CGA Law Firm prepare wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, and related planning documents for individuals, couples, blended families, business owners, and farm families. Our firm’s experience with estate administration and estate litigation helps us anticipate potential problems when preparing these documents: how documents are read by the Register of Wills, where disputes tend to start, and which provisions save families time and money.

What a Will Does Under Pennsylvania Law

A will directs how your property passes at death and names the people responsible for carrying out your wishes. Under Pennsylvania law, any person 18 or older and of sound mind can make a will. It must be in writing and signed at the end. 

Pennsylvania does not require witnesses for a will to be valid, but a will without witnesses or a self-proving affidavit can be harder to admit to probate. This is why attorneys usually have a will signed before two witnesses and a notary, which allows it to be probated without tracking anyone down years later.

A complete will typically addresses:

• Who receives specific items, real estate, and the remainder of the estate
• Who serves as executor, and who steps in if that person cannot
• A guardian for minor children
• Whether a child’s inheritance is held in trust until a certain age
• How debts, expenses, and Pennsylvania inheritance tax are paid
• What happens if a beneficiary dies first

A will attorney also looks at what the will does not control. Life insurance, retirement accounts, jointly owned property, and accounts with payable-on-death designations pass outside the will. A will that leaves everything equally to three children accomplishes little if most of the estate is in an IRA naming only one of them. Reviewing beneficiary designations alongside the will is one is a standard part of our review.

What Happens Without a Will

When a Pennsylvania resident dies without a will, the intestacy provisions of the Probate, Estates and Fiduciaries Code decide who inherits. The results do not always match what people expect. A surviving spouse may share the estate with children or parents rather than inheriting everything, an unmarried partner receives nothing, and stepchildren generally have no inheritance rights. There is also no named guardian for minor children and no chosen executor, which leaves those decisions to the court.

Trusts and When They Make Sense

A trust is an arrangement in which one person or institution, the trustee, holds and manages property for the benefit of others according to written terms. Pennsylvania trusts are governed by the state’s Uniform Trust Act, which sets rules for trustee duties, beneficiary rights, and how trusts can be modified.

A trust attorney helps decide whether a trust adds real value for a particular family, and if so, which kind. Common options include the following.

Revocable Living Trusts

A revocable trust is created during your lifetime, can be changed or revoked at any time, and holds assets that would otherwise go through probate. It can provide continuity if you become incapacitated, keep the details of your estate out of the public record, and simplify matters for families who own real estate in more than one state.

Living trusts are often marketed as essential, but in Pennsylvania they are not always necessary. Probate here is more streamlined than in some other states, and a revocable trust does not avoid Pennsylvania’s inheritance tax. For some clients, a well-drafted will is the better fit. For others, particularly those with property in Maryland or another state, a trust is worth the added setup.

“We needed to update our Powers of Attorney and Wills. CGA Staff and Attorneys were efficient, knowledgeable and timely.”
– Thomas C., Google Review

Irrevocable Trusts

Irrevocable trusts generally cannot be changed once signed, which is the source of their advantages. Depending on the design, they can remove assets from a taxable estate, hold life insurance outside the estate, or protect assets for long-term care planning. Medicaid planning with irrevocable trusts is subject to the federal five-year look-back period, so timing matters.

Trusts for Children and Other Beneficiaries

Many families use trusts to manage an inheritance for someone who should not receive it outright. That includes young children and grandchildren, adult children who are not ready to manage money, and beneficiaries going through divorce or creditor problems. Pennsylvania allows spendthrift provisions, which restrict a beneficiary’s ability to transfer their interest and generally keep it out of creditors’ reach.

Special Needs Trusts

A beneficiary who receives Supplemental Security Income or Medical Assistance can lose eligibility by inheriting money directly. A properly drafted special needs trust holds assets for that person’s benefit while preserving access to public benefits. The trust’s wording determines whether eligibility is preserved, and it often connects with our guardianship and incapacity work.

Taxes That Affect Your Estate Plan

Pennsylvania is one of the few states with an inheritance tax, and it applies regardless of the size of the estate. The rate depends on the relationship between the person who died and the beneficiary:

• 0 percent for transfers to a surviving spouse, and to a parent from a child age 21 or younger
• 4.5 percent for transfers to children, grandchildren, and other lineal descendants
• 12 percent for transfers to siblings
• 15 percent for transfers to other heirs, including nieces, nephews, and friends

Transfers to qualifying charities are exempt. Careful planning around who receives which assets, how life insurance is structured, and when gifts are made can reduce the tax a family pays.

Federal estate tax affects far fewer families. Legislation enacted in 2025 set the federal exemption at $15 million per person beginning in 2026, with future inflation adjustments. Clients with estates near that level, or with significant business or farm holdings, still benefit from planning that accounts for it. Our firm’s estate planning attorneys coordinate with clients’ accountants and financial advisors so that the documents and the overall financial picture work together.

Wills and Trusts for Families With Specific Needs

The basic documents are similar for most people, but the planning behind them varies a great deal. Situations that call for closer attention include:

• Blended families: Second marriages raise questions about balancing a current spouse’s security with children from a prior relationship, often resolved through a trust that provides for the spouse during life and passes the remainder to the children.
• Business owners: A will or trust should work alongside buy-sell agreements and succession planning, which our business attorneys handle.
• Farm families: Agricultural land is often the family’s largest asset, and it can be the hardest to divide. Pennsylvania offers inheritance tax exemptions for certain transfers of qualified family farms and family-owned businesses to family members, subject to conditions after the transfer.
• Aging parents: Planning for possible incapacity is as important as planning for death, which is why wills and trusts are usually paired with a durable power of attorney and a health care directive.

Keeping a Plan Current

An estate plan reflects your life on the day you sign it. Pennsylvania law automatically revokes provisions for a former spouse after a divorce, and in certain circumstances while a divorce is pending, but other life changes do not adjust the plan on their own. The birth of a child, a move, the death of a named executor, a significant inheritance, the sale of a business, and changes in tax law are all reasons to review a will or trust. As a general practice, we suggest a review every three to five years, even when nothing major has changed.

How We Work With Clients

Every engagement starts with a conversation about your family, your property, and what you want to accomplish. A wills and trusts attorney on our team reviews existing documents and beneficiary designations, explains the options in plain terms, and recommends documents and planning strategies appropriate for your circumstances. Drafts are reviewed with you before signing, and documents are executed in our office with the formalities Pennsylvania probate requires.

Clients also benefit from working with a full-service wills and trusts law firm. When an estate plan touches real estate, a business, or a family member’s special needs, our attorneys in those practice areas are part of the same team. And because our firm has served this region since 1967, many of our clients are second and third generations of the same families, which gives us a long view of how estate plans play out.

“Our experiences with the CGA Law Firm have been nothing but professional and pleasant. Everyone went out of their way to be helpful.”
– Mary P., Google Review

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Write My Own Will in Pennsylvania?

A handwritten or self-prepared will can be valid in Pennsylvania if it is in writing and signed at the end. These wills frequently cause problems in probate, however, through unclear language, missing executor appointments, or assets that pass outside the will entirely. Even a simple estate benefits from a review.

Does a Trust Replace a Will?

Not entirely. People with living trusts still need a “pour-over” will to catch any assets left outside the trust and to name guardians for minor children.

Is a Will From Another State Valid in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania generally recognizes a will that was valid where it was signed. After a move, it is still worth reviewing because executor appointments, tax provisions, and references to state law may no longer fit.

Speak With a Wills and Trusts Lawyer

Whether you are writing your first will or updating a plan from years ago, we begin with a conversation about your family and what you want. The wills and trusts attorneys at CGA Law Firm meet with clients at our office locations throughout South Central Pennsylvania.  To schedule a consultation, call (717) 848-4900 or contact us online.