Pennsylvania is a state of diversity and that is putting it very mildly. It ranges from the urban sophistication of Philadelphia all the way to the deer hunting wilds of Western Pennsylvania. Its people come from all types of backgrounds with families who have roots established hundreds of years ago, to the newest immigrants arriving in the airports. They all share one sizable challenge: providing a legacy for their surviving loved ones.
A Forest of Procedure
Pennsylvania is one of the few states that does not levy estate tax, but instead uses an inheritance tax. The Pennsylvania inheritance tax has various bends and curves, and not all family members are exempt from it. This tax is applied to specific beneficiaries of the survivor group. Legal statute in Pennsylvania will exempt spouses and minor children, but siblings and those persons having a parent in common with the deceased by blood or adoption receive no such exemption. There are other provisions, such as exemptions for family farms that can make everything rather complicated. This is in addition to a formal filing of the will with the Register of Wills in the deceased’s county of residence, and all of the process that probate law does require. It can be a very dense thicket of legal activity, and is incredibly time-consuming to say the very least.
Group Legal Plans Can Help
Employee benefits are meant to provide something of value to hard-working and productive employees. A voluntary payroll deduction plan that provides for legal services can be priceless. Estates with assets of more than $25,000 in value cannot use the simplified probate process that Pennsylvania allows. This means a typical homeowner will have to prepare for a detailed probate procedure. Employees covered by a group legal plan have access to credentialed attorneys with expertise in estate matters. These legal professionals can offer guidance on how to comply with the inheritance tax, suggest ways to simplify the probate activity, and make the final distribution of anything left behind so much easier. In essence, everything is made much easier with the help of an attorney. A voluntary payroll deduction plan offering legal services gives considerable, and deeply appreciated, support to employees trying to provide security for their families.
Countrywide Pre-Paid Legal Services is familiar with all of the aches and pains of dealing with inheritance tax and probate in Pennsylvania. Group legal benefits designed by Countrywide include preparation of wills and estate planning matters. A network of seasoned attorneys is ready to assist employees as they make all necessary arrangements for the ultimate distribution of assets.
Thinking of estates and wills can be a bit morbid, but the last thing any person wants is to die intestate, and leave his or her family’s security to the tender mercies of a court-appointed administrator. Establishing an estate with clear provisions and directives is the easiest way to assure that a death will not be a financial disaster. Countrywide Pre-Paid Legal Services can help create a voluntary payroll deduction plan for group legal services that spares survivors the agony of a lengthy probate.