CERTAINTY STARTS HERE | Elder Law | Estate Planning | Criminal Defense | Family Law | (814) 807-1071
Certainty
Professionalism
Precision
Compassion
Responsiveness
Estate Planning is about creating certainty by anticipating potential future scenarios and implementing a plan that will produce a particular result regardless of the variables inherent to those scenarios. In plainer English, this means that we meet clients, review their current situations and goals, and produce a plan that encompasses all
of the what ifs that may
inevitably occur in any
of our lives. It may
be impossible to
predict the future, but our firm prides itself on our ability to plan around a multitude of probabilities. The result for all clients, we are proud to say, is certainty.
"Elder Law" is
a general term
for the legal
practice areas
devoted to care for, or protection of, the elderly. Depending on the context, it may refer to estate planning or Medicaid planning, or another type of legal interest. In our practice, we view our elder law practice as encompassing the financial and physical protection of our area senior citizens.
The focus of elder law planning is the successful transition of a person from independence to semi-independence, which often includes the protection of that person's assets for the spouse or children.
Attorney Erde represents individuals charged with crimes ranging from first degree felonies down to summary traffic offenses. He is admitted to practice before the Court of Common Pleas, the Superior Court of Pennsy-
lvania and the
Pennsylvania Supreme
Court, as well as in the
United States District
Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. He has significant trial experience both prosecuting and defending individuals for offenses including: Driving Under the Influence, Drug Violations, Felonies, Misdemeanors, Sexual Offenses, Traffic Offenses, Theft Offenses, Probation and Parole Violations.
The pain of losing a
loved one can be life-
changing, and the
goal of our firm's
estate administration
practice is to ease
the burden of an executor's legal obligations following a loved one's death. We work with executors and personal representatives residing Crawford County and throughout the country, helping them administer the estates of deceased relatives. We provide a straightforward and efficient approach to estate administration without losing sight of the personal aspect that is so important to our work.
OIL, GAS & MINERALS LAW
As Pennsylvania enjoys its second oil boom as a result of the Marcellus and Utica Shales, residents of Pennsylvania need to protect themselves and their property. Our firm can help you make decisions that are both wise and profitable by providing you with information that is up to date and reliable. Our firm
represents
landowners in the
planning for income
and wealth from
these resources
and ensures your
family's future wealth is protected from unnecessary estate taxes and future long-term care needs.
MEDICAID PLANNING
One of the most important components of planning for long-term care is paying for it. Even for clients with considerable savings, entry into skilled nursing homes should immediately involve discussions with a lawyer about what, if any, planning
measures are
appropriate.
Skilled nursing care
can be covered by
Medicaid if a person or
couple qualifies.
Attorneys can be of significant help
in this qualification process, and assisting in helping widows and couples protect a lifetime's worth of savings.
The buying or selling of property, whether it is a home, a business, or an investment property, is often a mixture of both fun and frustration. Our job is to guide you through the process, so that your purchase or sale is handled with a minimum of frustration. Whenever you are buying or selling personal or business property, we are here to help you with the necessary title work, sales agreement, closing documents, and all other details,
ensuring that your
rights are protected
at every step. Like
you, we want your
purchase or sale to
proceed smoothly and without delay, and we commit ourselves to making that happen.
BUSINESS PLANNING SERVICES
The owning and running of a business can be exciting, challenging, and frightening, all at the same time. If you are thinking of starting a new business, our firm is ready to advise you as to how to do so in the most prudent and cost-effective way, and to prepare the
necessary
documents as you
proceed. If you are
an existing business,
we are ready to help
you avoid problems and pitfalls and deal with them should they arise. We are here to help you expedite daily operations with the preparation of contracts and agreements of all types and sorts, including personnel policies and employee agreements that will protect your rights as an owner.
SPECIAL NEEDS PLANNING
Planning for children and adults with special needs is a cornerstone of good planning, and requires a family to look towards the future needs of the individual. Every year, we assist families with estate plans that contemplate a child's future need for public benefits, and design estate plans that contemplate that child's future needs. In addition,
for families who
require guardian-
ships of minor or
adult family
members, our firm
works to ensure that
proper care is paid to
appointing individuals to oversee a disabled family member's health and financial needs. In many cases, complex trust work can be required to ensure that a family member safely enjoys the benefits to which he or she may be entitled, in addition to the wealth of family members.
