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Curran Estate & Elder Law, PLLC
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Trust Administration Attorneys in Berks County, PA

Planning for the future can be stressful and time-consuming, but it’s something that everyone will need to do sooner or later. Unfortunately, many people falsely believe that you don't need to start estate planning until you’re older—but this can actually end up making the process even more complicated. By talking with an experienced estate planning attorney early on, you can get a plan in place now that can then change and adapt with you as you age and as your family grows.

While everyone’s estate plan will look a bit different, one of the most effective documents you can have is a trust. But what does this look like in practice and how can it best serve your needs? At Curran Estate & Elder Law, PLLC we can assist you with every step of forming a trust and explaining how it will be administered after your passing. If you’re in the Reading, Pennsylvania area or in Berks County and the neighboring counties of Schuylkill, Montgomery, Lancaster, Chester, and Lebanon, call us today to schedule an appointment.

Trusts in Pennsylvania

A trust is a legal estate planning document that allows you to transfer certain assets out of your name and put them under the name of an appointed trustee. As the trustor, you still have control over the trust and the assets within it, but the right to hold the title is now under the name of your trustee who will administer the trust after you pass (ie. distribute assets to your beneficiaries).

Trusts have a number of benefits compared with a traditional will. Like a trust, a will allows you to name beneficiaries who will receive your assets—but a will must also go through the lengthy legal process of probate. Probate is the process where your will is “proved” in court and this can take several months to a year to complete. Trusts avoid probate since you’ve already transferred ownership of your assets and a court does not need to intervene. This can save your administrator and beneficiaries time and money and generally leads to an easier transition.

Trusts also remain private after you pass, unlike wills. When a will goes through probate, its contents become available to the public so anyone who requests access will be able to see everything that’s in it, including details about your wealth and estate.

The Role of the Trustee

Perhaps one of the most important decisions you’ll have to make when forming a trust is who to name as your trustee. So what should you look for when picking a trustee and what will they be responsible for doing?

Your trustee has a big job, so you want to choose someone who’s organized and responsible, and someone who will carry out your wishes as laid out in the trust. This can be an individual you know and can depend on like a friend or family member, but you can also name an attorney or corporate trustee like a bank or trust company to fill the role. Your trustee will be responsible for identifying and notifying your beneficiaries, paying any administrative expenses (which is typically done using the assets in trust), notifying creditors and paying any outstanding debt, distributing assets according to trust provisions, preparing taxes and paying any back taxes, and creating a reserve fund for any unforeseen expenses.

Common Trust Administration Issues

With any legal document, the more time and effort you put into it on the front end, the fewer problems you’ll have down the road. Even so, there are potential issues that can come up during the trust administration. Here, the role of the trustee becomes even more important as they’ll have to address these concerns using their best judgment along with your previously-stated wishes.

Probably the most common issue occurs when a beneficiary suspects or accuses the trustee of mismanagement of the assets. Unfortunately, this can lead to family in-fighting about the estate. This could lead to a beneficiary demanding funds before the trustee is ready to distribute them, contesting the trust, or questioning the authority of the trustee altogether. Other problems may come up if there are provisions or terms within the trust that are outdated or void. Many trustees choose to hire a trust administration attorney to help them through this time and navigate these issues.

trust administration

Trust Administration Attorney in Berks County, PA  

No matter where you’re at in your estate planning, at Curran Estate & Elder Law, PLLC, we have experienced attorneys who are ready to help. We can assist you whether you’re starting from scratch and just want to discuss your options, already have a trust in place and need to make changes, or if you’re the named trustee and need legal support administering the trust. From our office in Berks County, we’re proud to serve those throughout Pennsylvania. Set up a meeting today.

A Team That Truly Cares

Our attorneys take pride in helping you make the right decisions for your family and your future.

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Client Success Stories

The staff is always extremely pleasant and helpful. Rose Kennedy does a fabulous job of taking the time to explain everything, more than once if need be, and willing to answer any questions.
Lisa Care
Lisa Care
September 1, 2023.
They were very kind and helpful to my brother and me. They took the time to review our situation and offered us options. Highly recommend their services!!! Thanks. 😎
Kurt Manderbach
Kurt Manderbach
September 1, 2023.
This lawfirm is excellent. They are so knowledgeable and experienced in estate planning. Sarah at the front desk is responsive, welcoming and helpful. Rose Kennedy is a top notch attorney with a strong attention to detail, very knowledgeable in her field, great at presenting information in an easy to understand manner and very compassionate. We highly recommend Curran.
Leo and Lily
Leo and Lily
August 22, 2023.
When my father passed away in March 2022, I had never lost an immediate family member, and I was unprepared for the deluge of paperwork that followed. I also was not prepared for the way that grief would make simple things extra difficult. Luckily, my dad had set up a trust with Sean Curran’s guidance in 2016. It not only protected his assets, but it allowed us to work with Rose Kennedy and Angela Young for the estate administration. I truly do not know what we would have done without the kindness and guidance of Rose and Angela. I will never forget talking with Rose from the bathroom of my dad’s hospice room. It was far past office hours, but she was calmly determined to help me understand what steps I needed to take next. She even texted me after the call with detailed instructions in case I was unable to remember because of my emotional state. My gratitude for her compassion and patience continued to grow throughout the following year as she and Angela continuously went above and beyond to help us with every challenge that arose as we sold our dad’s house, filed inheritance taxes, and encountered numerous other tasks that I never could have figured out without their step-by-step guidance. I will always have a special place in my heart for the calmness that Rose and Angela brought me throughout the overwhelming and emotional process of losing a parent. Every person I’ve encountered at Curran Estate and Elder Law has been professional, helpful, and kind. I can’t imagine going through this process without their support and wisdom. Thank you!
Cindi Delinsky
Cindi Delinsky
July 29, 2023.
Curran Estate & Elder Law handled my fathers estate for me. They were incredibly helpful and answered all of my questions. I did very little, everything was completed by them. I would strongly suggest if your looking for an Attorney to handle your parents affairs, give Curran Estate & Elder Law a call!
KIM STRICKER
KIM STRICKER
July 26, 2023.
I would highly recommend Curran Estate Elder Care. They guided and helped with our estate planning, protection of assets, writing of our wills, power of attorney documentation and also care management for my spouse. They offer a great support system. Great people to work with.
Lil Myers
Lil Myers
July 20, 2023.
They are very efficient at helping their clients get the best and affordable help for families that need help. I would recommend them all around, especially for the elderly that cannot help themselves. they help me get poa of my mom when no one else would help. Hospital would say that she is not capable of having a POA at the time on hospice. Well, they wrong because my mother understood and signed forms thank you so very much Joyce and Tiffani
Tiffani Grendell
Tiffani Grendell
July 18, 2023.
Quite simply the best Elder Law in Berks. Professional, ethical and kind from start to finish. We had gotten our Will's and PoA's done with Curran a couple years ago, then when my father's health took a down turn, they were the obvious choice for managing the transition of his care, and then eventually with handling the administration of his will , probate and the dozens of other details that no one tells you about. I couldn't imagine having to do all of that on my own. Big thanks to the Rose, Susan, Angela and the whole team at Curran.
Adam Wentling
Adam Wentling
July 18, 2023.
As executor of estate, Curran has guided me step-by-step through the process in a professional and efficient manner. Their approach is friendly as they have patiently answered all my questions with clear explanations which make my duties simple and easy to carry out.
David & Alison Zezenski
David & Alison Zezenski
June 16, 2023.
My mother and I met with Rose Kennedy at Curran Estate & Elder Law, PLLC. Rose and her team were wonderful! Sarah greeted us promptly and escorted us to the conference room. She was very gracious. Rose demonstrated compassion, kindness, and understanding. She explained the documents clearly and answered all our questions. I highly recommend Rose and the team who responded quickly. They acted with professionalism and compassion. They have a heart. I had contacted other estate and elder firms in Berks County, and they did not even respond. Call Curran they will respond and help you.
Diana Vavreck
Diana Vavreck
May 25, 2023.
Curran Estate & Elder Law, PLLC

1212 Liggett Ave.
Reading, PA 19611

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