How We Help
Real scenarios from our practice — anonymized to protect client privacy — that show the kinds of problems we solve every day for families and businesses in Western Pennsylvania.
Estate Planning
Protecting a Blended Family's Inheritance
The situation:
A Murrysville couple in their second marriage each had children from prior relationships. They wanted to ensure the surviving spouse could stay in the family home and maintain their standard of living, while also guaranteeing that each spouse's children ultimately received their parent's assets — not the other spouse's family.
What we did:
We drafted a coordinated estate plan using a combination of revocable trusts with protective provisions for the surviving spouse, including the right to live in the home for life, along with remainder provisions directing each spouse's assets to their own children after both spouses passed. We also addressed Pennsylvania's elective share statute (20 Pa.C.S. § 2203) to ensure neither set of children could be inadvertently disinherited.
The outcome:
Both spouses have peace of mind that the surviving spouse will be taken care of, and each set of children knows exactly what they will receive. The plan eliminated a common source of conflict in blended families.
Updating an Outdated Estate Plan After a Trust Mill Seminar
The situation:
A couple attended a seminar that sold them a revocable living trust package for $5,500. When they brought the documents to us for review, we discovered the trust had never been funded — their home, bank accounts, and investment accounts were all still titled in their individual names, meaning the trust would have had no effect at death and everything would have gone through probate anyway.
What we did:
We evaluated whether the trust actually served the couple's goals. In this case, the couple's assets were straightforward — a home held jointly, retirement accounts with beneficiary designations, and modest bank accounts. A properly drafted will with coordinated beneficiary designations accomplished everything the trust was supposed to do, at a fraction of the cost. We prepared new wills, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives, and ensured all beneficiary designations and account titles were properly coordinated.
The outcome:
The couple ended up with a simpler, fully coordinated estate plan that actually worked. They avoided the ongoing maintenance burden of a trust they did not need.
Estate Planning for a Family with a Special Needs Child
The situation:
Parents of an adult child receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid-funded services were concerned that an inheritance could disqualify their child from these essential benefits.
What we did:
We established a third-party special needs trust (also called a supplemental needs trust) designed to supplement — not replace — government benefits. The trust was structured so that distributions could cover quality-of-life expenses such as vacations, electronics, personal care items, and other needs not covered by government programs, without affecting SSI or Medicaid eligibility. We also coordinated the parents' wills and beneficiary designations so that the child's share of the estate flowed into the trust rather than being received outright.
The outcome:
The parents know their child will benefit from the inheritance without losing access to essential government benefits. The successor trustee has clear instructions on how to manage and distribute funds appropriately.
Probate & Estate Administration
Navigating a Complex Estate with Real Property in Multiple Counties
The situation:
An executor contacted us after a family member passed away owning real estate in three different Pennsylvania counties, multiple bank accounts, investment accounts, and a small business interest. The executor had no experience with probate and was overwhelmed by the process.
What we did:
We opened the estate with the Register of Wills in the county of domicile, obtained Short Certificates, notified creditors, and managed the inventory and appraisal process for all assets. We coordinated the sale of real property across the three counties, filed the Pennsylvania inheritance tax return (REV-1500) and paid the tax within three months of death to capture the 5% early-payment discount, and prepared and filed the estate's final accounting.
The outcome:
The estate was administered efficiently, all tax deadlines were met (preserving the inheritance tax discount), and the executor fulfilled their fiduciary duties without personal liability exposure. The beneficiaries received their distributions within 14 months of the date of death.
Resolving a Disputed Will
The situation:
A family member contested the validity of a will, alleging that the decedent lacked testamentary capacity and that another family member had exerted undue influence. The executor was caught in the middle and unsure how to proceed.
What we did:
We represented the executor through the will contest proceedings in the Orphans' Court Division of the Court of Common Pleas. We gathered evidence supporting the validity of the will, including testimony from the attorney who supervised the signing ceremony and medical records from around the date of execution. We worked toward a resolution that protected the executor from personal liability while respecting the decedent's documented wishes.
The outcome:
The matter was resolved through a negotiated settlement that preserved the core intent of the will while addressing the challenger's concerns. The executor completed administration without personal liability.
Real Estate
Clearing a Title Defect Before Closing
The situation:
During a title search for a home purchase in Westmoreland County, we discovered an unreleased mortgage from a prior owner — someone who had sold the property 15 years earlier but whose lender never recorded a satisfaction of mortgage. The title company flagged it as a defect that would prevent issuing title insurance.
What we did:
We tracked down the prior owner's lender (which had since been acquired by another bank), obtained confirmation that the mortgage had been paid in full, and secured a recorded satisfaction of mortgage. The entire process was handled before the scheduled closing date so the buyer's purchase was not delayed.
The outcome:
The title defect was resolved, title insurance was issued, and the closing proceeded on schedule. Without an attorney conducting a thorough title search and actively resolving the issue, this problem may not have been caught until after closing — or worse, could have clouded the buyer's title for years.
For Sale By Owner — Protecting the Seller
The situation:
A homeowner in the Murrysville area decided to sell their home without a real estate agent to save on commission. They found a buyer and agreed on a price, but had no written agreement of sale and were unsure how to handle the closing process, transfer taxes, or title insurance.
What we did:
We drafted a comprehensive agreement of sale that protected the seller's interests, including appropriate contingency deadlines, deposit provisions, and a clear timeline to closing. We conducted the title search, coordinated with the buyer's lender, calculated transfer taxes and prorations, and handled the settlement. We also ensured the seller understood their disclosure obligations under Pennsylvania's Real Estate Seller Disclosure Law (68 Pa.C.S. § 7301 et seq.).
The outcome:
The seller saved thousands in agent commissions while having full legal protection throughout the transaction. The closing was handled professionally and on time.
Business Law
Structuring a Partner Exit from a Small Business
The situation:
Two partners in a Pennsylvania LLC had a falling out. One wanted to leave the business, but the operating agreement — a generic template downloaded from the internet — had no buyout provisions, no valuation method, and no process for a partner departure.
What we did:
We negotiated a buyout agreement between the partners that included a fair valuation methodology, a structured payment schedule the remaining partner could afford, non-compete and non-solicitation provisions to protect the business, and an amendment to the operating agreement to reflect the new single-member structure. We also coordinated with both partners' accountants on the tax implications of the buyout.
The outcome:
The departing partner received fair value for their interest on agreed terms. The remaining partner retained the business without disruption to operations or client relationships. Both parties avoided litigation.
Coordinating Business Succession with Estate Planning
The situation:
A business owner wanted to retire and transfer the business to one of their three children — the only child involved in the business. The owner also wanted to treat all three children fairly in their estate plan, but the business represented the majority of the estate's value.
What we did:
We developed a coordinated plan that included a buy-sell agreement allowing the active child to purchase the business over time at a fair price, life insurance to equalize the estate distribution among the other two children, and updated estate planning documents that accounted for the business transition. The plan ensured the active child could afford to buy the business, the other children received equivalent value, and the owner could step back comfortably.
The outcome:
The business transition was completed over 18 months. The owner retired with financial security, the active child took over operations smoothly, and all three children understood and accepted the plan — avoiding the family conflict that often accompanies business succession.