Do I need a will in Pennsylvania?

If you pass away without a will (intestate), Pennsylvania law decides who receives your assets and who serves as personal representative. A will lets you choose your executor, name guardians for minor children, and direct exactly how your property is distributed.

What is the difference between a will and a revocable living trust?

A will takes effect at death and typically goes through probate. A revocable living trust is effective during life, provides management if you become incapacitated, and can help your family avoid probate and maintain privacy. Many plans use both: a trust for administration and a simple “pour-over” will.

Who should consider a revocable living trust?

Trusts are often helpful if you want to avoid probate, own real estate in multiple states, prefer privacy, have a blended family, want smoother incapacity management, or have beneficiaries who need oversight. We’ll review whether a trust’s benefits outweigh the added drafting and funding steps for your situation.

How long does probate take in Pennsylvania?

Simple estates often settle in 6–12 months; estates with real estate sales, litigation, or tax issues can take longer. The process starts with opening the estate at the Register of Wills in your county, then handling notices, inventory, Pennsylvania inheritance tax, creditor claims, distributions, and closing.

How can I avoid or reduce probate in Pennsylvania?

Common tools include beneficiary designations, transfer-on-death registrations for financial accounts, joint ownership where appropriate, and revocable living trusts. Proper titling and up-to-date designations are key. We’ll map the lowest-friction path that fits your family and assets.

What does an executor have to do?

Typical duties include opening the estate, securing and valuing assets, notifying beneficiaries and creditors, filing the PA inheritance tax return, paying debts and expenses, maintaining records and fiduciary accounts, distributing assets, and closing the estate. We guide executors step-by-step.

Do I need a Power of Attorney in Pennsylvania?

A durable financial Power of Attorney lets a trusted person act for you if you’re unable to do so. Without it, your family may need a court guardianship. We prepare clear, Pennsylvania-compliant POAs to help avoid delays and expense.

What is a Living Will or Advance Health Care Directive?

These documents state your health care wishes and name a health care agent to make decisions if you cannot. They guide your family and medical team, reduce uncertainty, and are included in our standard planning.

How often should I update my estate plan?

Review every 3–5 years and after major life events: marriage or divorce, birth or adoption, death in the family, a move to/from Pennsylvania, buying or selling a home or business, or significant changes in assets or the law.

How much does an estate plan cost?

Fees depend on your goals, document complexity, and whether a trust is appropriate. We offer transparent, flat-fee packages once we understand your needs at the consultation, and we’ll recommend only what’s necessary.

Can we work together virtually?

Yes. We serve clients statewide via secure Zoom for meetings and document reviews, with signing coordinated in compliance with Pennsylvania requirements. Many Main Line clients prefer a hybrid of virtual and in-office.

Estate Planning & Probate Attorney Serving Wayne, PA and the Main Line

Protecting your family, your assets, and your rights — with the depth of big-firm training and the personal attention only a boutique practice can deliver

Call (215) 277-0888

Georgetown LL.M. in Taxation · AmLaw 100 Trained · Pennsylvania Bar Admitted · Free Consultations · Five Convenient Locations + Virtual Appointments

Whether you're planning ahead to protect your family or navigating the complexities of probate after a loss, you deserve an attorney who takes your situation seriously. At Chadwick Estate Law, Bass W. Chadwick brings specialized tax and estate law expertise — honed at an AmLaw 100 firm and Georgetown Law — to individuals and families throughout Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties. You get big-firm sophistication without the big-firm runaround.

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Comprehensive Estate Law Representation for Pennsylvania Families

Trust & Asset Protection

Probate & Estate Administration

Estate Planning

A good estate plan isn't just a will — it's a complete set of instructions for what happens to your assets, your health, and your family when you can no longer speak for yourself. We draft wills, powers of attorney, advance directives, and beneficiary designations tailored to your life, your intentions, and Pennsylvania law. No boilerplate. No templates that fail under pressure.

Learn about Estate Planning

Whether you need a revocable living trust to avoid probate, an irrevocable trust to shield assets from estate taxes and creditors, or a special needs trust to protect a vulnerable loved one without jeopardizing government benefits — we build structures that work. Every trust is designed to match your specific goals and drafted to hold up under Pennsylvania law and IRS scrutiny.

Learn about Trusts & Asset Protection

If you've been named executor or administrator, you're carrying real legal obligations — and real personal liability. We guide personal representatives through every stage of Pennsylvania probate: opening the estate with the Register of Wills, inventorying and valuing assets, paying debts, filing the Pennsylvania inheritance tax return, and distributing inheritances to beneficiaries. We handle the complexity so you can focus on your family.

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Orphans’ Court Litigation

When an estate or trust goes wrong, you need an attorney who knows Pennsylvania's Orphans' Court — not someone learning it on the fly. We represent beneficiaries who suspect mismanagement, accounting manipulation, or breach of fiduciary duty. We contest wills obtained through undue influence, fraud, or lack of capacity. We hold trustees and executors accountable. And when you need to defend a legitimate estate against unfounded challenges, we do that too.

Learn about Orphans' Court Litigation & Beneficiary Representation

Estate planning attorney helping a Pennsylvania family in Wayne office

Bass W. Chadwick founded this firm to offer something the large firms can't: the legal sophistication that comes from training at an AmLaw 100 firm — handling complex tax, trust, and estate matters — delivered with direct, personal attention from the attorney you hired.

Bass holds a Juris Doctor from Charleston School of Law and an Estate Planning Certificate and an LL.M. in Taxation from Georgetown University Law Center, one of the premier tax and estate law programs in the country. He is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and focuses exclusively on estate planning, probate, and trust and estate litigation.

When you hire Chadwick Estate Law, you work directly with Bass — from the first consultation to the final document. Your matter isn't delegated to a junior associate. With offices across the Philadelphia region, getting that personal attention has never been more convenient.

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Big-Firm Training. Personal Attention.

What Clients and Colleagues Say

Bass Chadwick at Chadwick Estate Law is outstanding. He made the estate planning process clear, efficient, and far less intimidating than we expected. Bass is knowledgeable, responsive, and extremely detail-oriented, and he took the time to understand our situation and provide thoughtful guidance. I would highly recommend him to anyone needing wills, trusts, or estate planning in Pennsylvania

-William, Client

Working with Bass was such a pleasure. He took everything off my plate and gave me peace of mind. I would recommend Bass to anyone needing to update their estate planning or dealing with an estate planning issue.

-Kathy, Client

Bass is the most intelligent, efficient, and professional attorney I've encountered. I worked in Mayor Giuliani's office — Bass would be in the top one percent in that environment.

-Jenna, Former Colleague

How the Estate Planning Process Works

Free Consultation

We start by understanding your family, your assets, and your goals — with no pressure and no obligation. You'll leave the meeting knowing exactly what your estate plan should include and why.

Custom Design

We draft your documents from the ground up based on your specific circumstances. Every will, trust, and directive is tailored — not pulled from a standard template.

Review Together

You review your draft documents with Bass directly, in person or by video. We revise until every provision reflects exactly what you intend.

Signing & Execution

We coordinate the execution of your estate planning documents to ensure full compliance with Pennsylvania law, including the presence of required witnesses and notarization where applicable.

Five Locations Across the Philadelphia Region

Chadwick Estate Law maintains offices throughout southeastern Pennsylvania so you can meet with an attorney close to home — or by video, wherever you are in the state.

│ Office │ Address │

│ Radnor (Main) │ 150 N. Radnor Chester Rd., Suite F-200, Radnor, PA 19087 │

│ Philadelphia │ 1515 Market Street, Suite 1200, Philadelphia, PA 19102 │

│ Bala Cynwyd │ Two Bala Plaza, Suite 300, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004 │

│ Plymouth Meeting│ 600 W. Germantown Pike, Suite 400, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19426 │

│ Malvern │ 101 Lindenwood Drive, Suite 225, Malvern, PA 19355 │

We serve clients throughout Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties — including the Main Line, the western suburbs, and Center City Philadelphia. Virtual consultations are available for clients anywhere in Pennsylvania.

Your Free Consultation Is One Call Away

Whether you're creating an estate plan for the first time, guiding a family through probate, or facing a dispute involving an estate or trust — Chadwick Estate Law is ready to help. With five offices across the Philadelphia region and virtual appointments available statewide, getting started is easy.

Schedule a Free Consultation

Call (215) 277-0888

Email: bass@chadwickestatelaw.com