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Practice Areas
- Local News and Information
- Alternative Dispute Resolution For Estates and Trusts
- The System For Protecting Your Assets for Your Self and Your Heirs
- Asset Protection
- Estate and Inheritance Tax Planning
- Protecting Heirs from Divorce and Litigation
- Wills and Trusts
- Executor, Trustees and Probate
- Elder Law Trusts, Contracts, Checklists and Solutions
- Ideas and Information That Make Life Better
Blog 
Wills, trusts, and Estates in Pennsylvania 
- GRAT Planning For Federal Estate Tax Savings Under Scutiny
- When Do My Children Need To Do a Will? The Answer Might Shock You
- New Resources For Building and Protecting Your Estate and Your Estate Plan
- Phoenixville Attorneys To Sponsor Borough’s First TEDX Conference
- Federal Estate Tax Law Not To Be Addressed Until Fall or After
The System For Protecting Your Assets for Your Self and Your Heirs
- Estate Planning - The Issues and Strategies For Families With Minor Children
- 529 Plans The Top Five Reasons
- Protecting Your Estate and Wealth: Do You Rush in Or Go Slow as Markets "Recover"?
- Family Finances - Should You Be Doing Things Differently?
- The FLP So Good - But Not For Your Personal Use
- Frequently Asked Questions About Pour Over wills, A handwritten Will, and Who Should Be Executor?
- Pennsylvania Attorney Recognised For Work In Estae Planning For Families
- Estate Planning and Family Communications Skills Avoiding Trouble Achieving Success
Asset Protection
- The Family Limited Patnership In Estate and Business Planning
- Asset Protection Of Bank Accounts - It's Not All About The Signature Card
- Tiger Woods, Prenuptials and Estate Planning For Second Marriages
- When It Comes To Bank and Investment Accounts Less Can Be More
- Is An IRA Still Protected From Creditors After The New Florida Case?
- Protecting Yourself from Uninsured Drivers
- Money In Your Mattress? Another Reason To Worry.....
- Off Shore Accounts: Do You Need One? Are They Legal?
- Using Family Limited Partnerships
- Asset Protection Alert For Contractors and Those Who Do Work In Or Around Homes
Estate and Inheritance Tax Planning
- Federal Estate Tax News For Pennsylvanians
- Estate Tax News: Pressure on Congress To Act On The Federal Estate Tax
- Almost half of American Households Pay No Income Tax
- What Life Insurance Salesmen Are Saying About Estate Taxes Behind Your Back?
- Estate Tax, Lobbiests, and New Information for 2010
- What Happens To Estate Planning As Marriages Are Replaced By Cohabitation?
- What Happens To Estate Planning As Marriages Are Replaced By Cohabitation?
- Gift Tax Myths and Realities For 2010.
- Congress has Created A Very Big Mess. What do You Do About Your Will or Trust Now?
- Why Congress' Failure Today On Estate Tax Reform Might Really Hurt You.
Protecting Heirs from Divorce and Litigation
- Ever Wanted To Do A GRAT to Save Estate Taxes? They Might Not Work Soon
- Disinheriting a Beneficiary - Know How To Minimize the Threat of A Will Contest
- The Obamas Are Saving For College. How Are They Doing It?
- Protecting Your Heirs From divorce and Lawsuits
- I Love My Kids' Spouses....but What Parents Can Do To Protect Their Heirs From Divorce
Wills and Trusts
- What is a $100,000 Charitable Trust Worth 91 Years Later?
- When Do Your Children Need A Will Or Estate Planning? The Answer Might Surprise You
- The Trust Protector: Why Have One and more...
- Why Update Your Will? In This Case Your Head Might Be Frozen
- Why Old Trusts Might Cost Yor Estate Money and Why You Still Need A Will
- Do On Line Wills Really Work? LAwyers vs. The Wall Street Journal Consumer Columnist on Self Help Wills
- Edward Kennedy's Will and The Estate Planning Lessons You Should Heed
- Protecting Your Estate Plan and Will From Challenges
- Is Your Estate Plan or Will Bullet Proof? Preventing Successful Will Challenges
- Why You Need A Will - According To USA Today
Executor, Trustees and Probate
- When Probate is Good. The Five Times You Really Want To Probate A Will and The Probate Judge Is Your Best Friend
- Starting the Probate Process In Pennsylvania
- Executor's Fees In Pennsylvania - Why Are They Being Cut and By Whom?
- Doing a Great Job as an Executor Means Knowing the Mistakes to Avoid
- Are Executors Personally Liable? Do You Know What You Are Getting Into?
- Will Confusion
- Flat Fees For Probate - That's What Executors Want From Law Firms
- The Probate Process: Common Delays
- Estate Planning That Really Works - Get Records, Documents and Passwords Organized
- Read This Before You Hire An Estate Attorney - Attorneys Fees
Ideas and Information That Make Life Better
Resources For Clients and Readers
- 2010 Useful Ideas For The New Year and Beyond
- Financial Tip: Great Finanicial News and Information Wesite
Leaving A Lasting Legacy (TM) Family Wealth
TAXES and News
- The Federal Estate Tax Morass Continues - What Do You Do With Your Pennsylvania Estate Plan?
- Another Federal Estate Tax Bill Is Dead - What Should You Do Now?
- Congress Is Moving Toward Eliination of Short Term GRATs
- Senate Action Urged on Federal Estate Tax
- Another View From Pennsylvania on The Federal Estate Tax and You
- Real Ideas and Information on An Estate Tax Situation that is Crazy
- Great Review Of New Year Estate Planning Issues and Dangers
- Forget the Federal Etate Tax - According To Russia We Have Bigger Problems
- Married To A Wealthy Spouse? Under the New Law You Might Find Yourself Disinherited
- Estate Tax Mess - The Times Says "Americans Deserve Better"
Information For Retired Pennsylvanians
General
News
- Posted on 9/6/2010Do You Need A Power Of Attorney from Your College Student?
- Posted on 8/14/2010Quality Information On Credit Fraud and Protecting Your Estate
- Posted on 8/14/2010Phoenixville Lawyers Sponsor TEDx at the Colonia Theater
- Posted on 8/1/2010How To Shelter Assets From The Estate Tax When It Returns
- Posted on 2/23/2010Estate Tax Strategies For 2010 and 2011
Library
- The System For Protecting Your Assets for Your Self and Your Heirs
- Asset Protection
- Estate and Inheritance Tax Planning
- Protecting Heirs from Divorce and Litigation
- Wills and Trusts
- Executor, Trustees and Probate
- Elder Law Trusts, Contracts, Checklists and Solutions
- Ideas and Information That Make Life Better
- Selecting A Will or Estate Planning Attorney
- Ethical Lawyer Marketing
- General
Pennsylvania Asset Protection & Estate Planning Blog Will & Trust Attorney Blog For Unruh, Turner, Burke & Frees
This blog, which is regularly updated by our estate planning attorneys, strives to keep our clients and potiential clients informed, engaged, and connected to the latest news, trends, and current events regarding Penn. asset protection, inheritance dispute resolution, executor and trustee information, will & trust law, and elder trust law. Learn more abou the estate law issues that affect you most in these short, personal, and candid legal blog posts.Wills, trusts, and Estates in Pennsylvania
- The Grantor Retained Annuity Trust (GRAT) has been an excellent and widely used federal estate tax savings tool. However, President Obama took aim at the GRAT in his 2011 budget proposals. Additionally, the House has included provisions targeting short-term and rolling GRAT planning tools in legislation that has passed at that level. Although that particular [...]
If you have children between the ages of 18 and thirty, chances are that they don't have a will. And, there are many reasons why that might be a bad idea. For example, many of our adult children have children of their own but have not done a will to name a guardian, executor and trustee to care for those children, or their finances
I know that the title to this article: “Resources for Building and Protecting Your Estate and Your Estate Plan” is both long (imagine that, a long winded lawyer) and apparently silly. How do I know that it sounded silly? This is a suggestion for a resource sent to me by one of my sons when [...]
Local lawyers David Frees and Douglas Kaune of Unruh, Turner, Burke and Frees are sponsors of the first TEDx Conference to be held in Phoenixville at the Colonial Theater.
No Federal Estate Tax Answers forthcoming this Summer. By: Douglas L. Kaune, Esq. Congress is entering its August recess and there has been no progress made on the topic of Estate Tax Reform. Analysts are clearly thinking that the Estate Tax issue will not be addressed until the Fall or later. Interestingly, everyone, including members [...]
Asset Protection
Asset Protection Alert For Contractors and Those Who Do Work In Or Around Homes
If you are a contractor, painter, lawn or landscape contractor, landscape architect, remodeler, plumber, or electrician, you may be subject to the many new requirements of the PA Home Improvement Contractors Act (73 PS 517.1-517.19). Failure to follow these requirements may result in significant penalties and civil and criminal legal problems.
Here is a partial list of those who may be affected:
These people may be subject to the Act if they work on residential properties (this list is not exhaustive):
Anyone who does home remodeling or basically installs any improvement in or around the home.
Electricians, plumbers, framers, roofers, etc. Even if they do not enter into contracts directly with consumers.
Underground/invisible pet fence contractors
Landscapers
Locksmiths
Fencing companies
Paving companies
Pool companies
Security system companies
A retail store that installs products in the home (i.e. a flooring store that installs floors).
Interior Decorators (if they install or subcontract for painting, installing fixtures, drapes, etc.)
Radon companies
Building supply retailers (if they also install)
Mobile home or RV repair
For a copy of the act or for documents that comply with the new act please call 610-933-8069 and ask for the new Home Improvement Contractors package or click here for the attorney General's FQA and a copy of the act.
While the lawyers that work directly with me in our trust, estates, and asset protecttion section focus their work on estate planning, wills, trusts, and asset and tax planning and protection, compliance with new laws is important for our clients. Accordingly, we ask lawyers in the firm's other departments to keep us posted of important legal changes that may affect our clients.
David M. Frees III, Esquire
610-933-8069
or email dfrees@utbf.com to request the new law package.
For more info from David M. Frees, III
Begin your case review by filling out the form below:
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Phoenixville, PA 19460
Phone: (610) 933-8069
Fax: (610) 240-9323
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Malvern
116 E. King St.
Malvern, PA 19355
Phone: (610) 240-0750
Fax: 610-240-9323
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17 W. Gay St.
P.O. Box 515
West Chester, PA 19381
Phone: (610) 933-8069
Fax: 610-240-9323
See David by Appointment call 610-933-8069 For David Frees
Get Directions
Offices
Offices
Phoenixville
120 Gay St.
Phoenixville, PA 19460
Phone: (610) 933-8069
Fax: (610) 240-9323
Regular Business Hours
Malvern
116 E. King St.
Malvern, PA 19355
Phone: (610) 240-0750
Fax: 610-240-9323
By Appointment
West Chester
17 W. Gay St.
P.O. Box 515
West Chester, PA 19381
Phone: (610) 933-8069
Fax: 610-240-9323
See David by Appointment call 610-933-8069 For David Frees
Videos
The System For Protecting Your Assets for Your Self and Your Heirs:
- Protecting Your Heirs From Divorce or Lawsuits
- Enhanced Estate Planning 1 - What is It? Why Do it? How?
- Enhanced Estate Planning 3 How Do I Do I do It? Your Questions Answered
Asset Protection:
Estate and Inheritance Tax Planning:
- Beneficiary Controlled Trusts
- How Much Can I Give without Filing A Gift Tax Return?
- No More Death Taxes - On the View.
- Keeping Assets in The Family or How I Got The Best of A Very Bad Stock Market
Protecting Heirs from Divorce and Litigation:
- Divorce Protection For Your Heirs - The Quick and Dirty Need To Know
- Using The Beneficary Controlled Trust to Protect Your Heirs
Wills and Trusts:
- Bullet Proof Your Will From Challenges Part 1 of 5
- Protecting Against Will Challenges- When to Use a Trust (Part 2 of 5)
- Beneficiary Designation and Protecting Your Estate (Part 3 of 5)
- More Information About Why You Need A Will
- Understanding the GRAT Grantor Retained Annuity Trust
Family Communications and Dynamics:
General:
- Estate Planning Lawyer Offers Book On The Ten Most Common Mistakes Executors Make In Pennsylvania
- Asset Protection Lawyer In Pennsylvania Says To Protect Your Assets You Need To Have Multiple Layers Of Protection
- Attorney Offers Book On What You Don't Know About Pennsylvania Insurance and How It Can Hurt Your
- Executor or Trustee in Pennsylvania? Don't Do Anything Until You See This Video on You Liability Exposure
- DIY Wills and Estate Planning - Do They Work? Why Short Term Savings Might Be Costly
FAQs
The System For Protecting Your Assets for Your Self and Your Heirs
Asset Protection
- What is "Asset Protection"?
- Doesn't holding my assets in joint names protect them from my creditors or from lawsuits?
- How do I use a trust to protect assets in the event that I need nursing home care?
Estate and Inheritance Tax Planning
- How much can I give away during my lifetime?
- How much is the annual gift tax exclusion?
- What taxes affect estate planning?
Wills and Trusts
- Which is Better The Will or Revocable Living Trust? The probate vs. non probate debate continues.
- If we have a child named as a beneficiary of an account or POD (Pay On Death) and that child goes into bankruptcy, can our assets be taken away?
- Do I give up control to my trustee if I create a revocable or living trust?
Executor, Trustees and Probate
- How much can an executor charge for an estate in Pennsylvania?
- How long does probate take in Pennsylvania?
- As an Executor, how do you make sure a handwritten will is authentic?
Elder Law Trusts, Contracts, Checklists and Solutions
- Can family members be paid for providing care to an elderly parent or relative without disqualifying them from long term care under medicaid?
- I have a revocable living trust. Does that protect my ssets from a nursing home spend down?