Lindsay M. Schoeneberger

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This post is part of our ongoing series exploring the impact of technology on legal issues.  For an introduction to the series and a collection of the posts in the series, check out this post.

“Thank you.  We have received your automatic payment.”  “Sign up for automatic bill pay to reduce your student loan interest rate.”  “Ensure your payments are never late!  Sign up to automatically pay your bill.”  “Reminder, monthly payment scheduled.”

Those email subject lines are taken directly from my personal email account.  I receive regular inquiries trying to persuade me to switch to automatic payments for all of my monthly bills.  Clearly from some of the subject lines you can see that I do have some bills (the small ones) set for automatic bill pay and flatly refuse to set up others.  Why?  Well in my law school days it was more to prevent an inadvertent overdraft than anything else.  However, now, it is more to prevent a mess in the event of my death.  Horribly morbid.  I know.  But I have a very good reason. Continue Reading Automatic Bill Pay: Blessing or Curse?

This post is part of our ongoing series exploring the impact of technology on legal issues.  For an introduction to the series and a collection of the posts in the series, check out this post.

A few years ago, I wrote a blog article about Facebook’s New Legacy Contact, wherein you can appoint someone to manage your account posthumously. When you fail to appoint someone, Facebook’s current policy allows your next of kin to only have partial access to the account in order to either turn it into an online memorial page or to delete it entirely.

It seems that the highest court in Germany has taken issue with this limited access for a legacy contact, having recently determined that a minor’s parents have the right to inherit their daughter’s Facebook account.  The parents of a 15 year old girl who passed away in 2012 sought access to her Facebook account in order to determine if her death was suicide.  Facebook refused, citing their Legacy Contact policy and concern for the privacy of the girl’s other contacts.  The Federal Court of Justice in Germany held that the account was similar to a person’s letters or private diary, both of which would pass on to a person’s heirs under German law. Continue Reading Germany Cracks Down on Facebook

Almost 11 short years ago, the first iPhone made its debut on June 29, 2007.  This inaugural version featured the ability to take photos but not videos, maxed out at a whopping 16 GB hard drive and 128 MB of RAM.  The phone also lacked a GPS, digital compass, and forget about touch ID.  Fast forward to the iPhone X, Apple’s newest iPhone.  The X has 256 GB  of storage, 3 GB of RAM,  and unlocks using facial recognition technology.  And as for those videos the first iPhone couldn’t manage?  The X features 2 cameras that boast more features than most digital camera and offer 4K quality video recording at 60 frames per second.  Today a person can operate their business from the palm of their hand while on the go.  And it is not just our phones that are advancing leaps and bounds.  Cars have self-driving features and refrigerators can plan your meals and text you a shopping list.  The speed of technological advancements is mind blowing and getting ever faster.  Continue Reading Introducing a New Series – Exploring the Impact of Technology on Legal Issues

For those of you looking for your weekly myth, sadly, our myth series has run its course.  Now that we have covered commonly asked questions and the top 10 myths, I wanted to leave you with a few helpful tips- these tips are universal and not just for selecting an estate planning attorney.

  • Be open and honest with your lawyer
    • Your attorney is trained to know what is important. Chances are if they are asking about it, they need to know about it.  It might not seem like a big deal to you, but it could completely change their advice to you.
  • Make sure you are comfortable with your lawyer
    • Feeling comfortable with your lawyer will significantly increase your ability to be open and honest with him or her. This is key for you to get the best advice and for your own piece of mind.  Even if your attorney gives you the best advice in the world, if you are not comfortable with him or her, you may never fully trust what they’ve said.
  • Don’t price shop
    • Cutting corners now can cost you big time in the end. We are seeing a rash of people trying to do things on their own or do things piece meal because they are trying to save money.  While I will be the first to wait for a sale, cut coupons, and look for the best deal, legal dealings are not always the best place to do so.  Certainly you should inquire as to fees and not blindly hand over your hard earned cash.
  • Ask family and friends for referrals if you don’t know who to go to
    • Asking someone one who has actually worked with an attorney if they liked them can be far more effective than picking a name out of a random list. However, keep in mind your friend or family member’s personality.  If you are nothing like your cousin, will the same attorney work for you?  Ask the person what they liked and disliked about the person they are recommending.  Then decide if those are qualities you are looking for as well.
  • Have a trusted financial advisor or accountant? They can make referrals as well
    • Accountants and financial advisors work with attorneys all the time. They have seen the attorney in action and can make a referral based on real interactions.

Have a happy and healthy new year!

Lindsay Schoeneberger is an attorney at Russell, Krafft and Gruber, LLP in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. She received her law degree from Widener University School of Law and practices in a variety of areas, including Estate Planning.

By now, hopefully I have convinced you that you need a Will, Financial Power of Attorney, Health Care Power of Attorney, and that you need to consult with an attorney that focuses on estate planning in order to prepare these documents.

But my job is not done.  Having all of these documents prepared is only half the battle.  Making sure these documents are kept up to date, is the rest.  These documents are not once and done.  You should be reviewing these documents every few years and every time there is a major life change.

When someone in your family gets married or divorced you should review the documents.  When a new family member is born or a family member dies, you should review the documents.  When you start a new job or retire, you should review the documents.  Often times, reviewing the documents may not mean changing the documents.  If the documents still reflect your wishes, you probably don’t need to change them.  Continue Reading Myth #10- Once and Done!

Last week, I dispelled the myth that you only need a Will in order to have a proper estate plan.  This week, I am focusing on who you give power to in these documents.  The person you grant power to under a Will or Power of Attorney is generally known as a fiduciary.  As I previously explained a few years ago, a fiduciary is a fancy catch all word for personal representative (which is another way of saying executor, executrix or administrator, administratrix), guardians, agents, and trustees who are all subject to the jurisdiction of the Orphans’ Court in Pennsylvania.

Many times my clients feel a sense of obligation to name their children as their fiduciaries and use birth order as a method of selection.  Simply being the first born does not make a person more qualified to handle your finances than anyone else.  It is important to consider the nature of the position you are appointing the person to.  What kinds of decisions are they going make?  What kind of responsibilities are they going to have?  Who are they going to have to interact with?  How will others respond to them? Then look at the people you are considering for each position.  Who will fit best in each position?

Take for example Simon and Helena.  They have three children.  Eleanor, a doctor who is bad with money, Liam, an accountant, who is suspicious of medical professionals, and Robert, their oldest child who, while fine with money and generally trusting of medical professionals, tends to disappear for months on end and is unable to get along with either of his siblings. Eleanor and Liam, twins, get along well but are not on speaking terms with Robert.  Who should Simon and Helena name as their Fiduciaries for the Will, Financial Power of Attorney, and Health Care Power of Attorney? Continue Reading Myth #9 – I Must Appoint The Same Person For All Of My Estate Planning

If you come to see me asking for just a Will, I will ALWAYS discuss with you whether you need a Financial Power of Attorney and a Health Care Power of Attorney and Living Will.  It is not because I am trying to upsell my services or print more paper and kill trees.  No, it is because I want to make sure you have the documents you need to protect yourself and to simplify things for your loved ones.

A proper estate plan deals with the here and now, the near future, and the distant future.  A proper estate plan is not just what happens when you die.  It has provisions for when your health declines and you can no longer act on your own behalf.  Most of us don’t spend a lot of time thinking about the possibility of future illness, incapacitation or death, nor do you want to.  Leave that to me to guide you through the process of determining what you need.

The key to recognizing which documents are necessary is to understand each document and when it becomes active.  Most people know that a Will becomes active on death and deals with the distribution of your assets.  It can also name a guardian for your minor children, and set up trusts to protect those assets.  Continue Reading Myth #8- I only need a Will.

Last week, I covered the myth that you need to avoid probate.  One common reason people want to avoid probate is because they believe it is one way to avoid inheritance tax.  Not so fast.  Whether or not an asset is a probate asset has no bearing on whether or not it is subject to inheritance tax. Both probate and non-probate assets are subject to Pennsylvania inheritance tax. So while there are reasons to ensure your beneficiary designations are current to keep the assets out of probate, avoiding inheritance tax is not one.  Your IRA or 401(k) will still be subject to inheritance tax.

Are there ways to transfer wealth free of inheritance tax?  Sure.  Life insurance is a great way to do so.  But not everyone can afford or qualify for life insurance.  You can also gift during your life time.  However, this can create other tax concerns.  Under certain circumstances, trust assets may not be subject to inheritance tax, but you might spend more money putting those assets in trust than what you would ultimately be saving.  So what does all of this mean for you?  Finding ways to reduce inheritance tax is important and I always work with my clients to do so.  However, I am mindful of the fact that in some cases, paying inheritance tax is actually the lesser of two evils.  Don’t avoid inheritance tax when it ultimately can cost you or your beneficiary more money elsewhere. Work with a qualified attorney to discuss your goals, but keep an open mind.  A thoughtful estate planning attorney will take the time to understand your unique circumstances so that they are able to consider all options and recommend the best plan for you.

Lindsay Schoeneberger is an attorney at Russell, Krafft and Gruber, LLP in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. She received her law degree from Widener University School of Law and practices in a variety of areas, including Estate Planning.

“I need to avoid probate!”  I can’t tell you how many new estate planning consultations begin with questions relating to the belief that it is important to avoid the probate process.  Clients desiring to avoid probate often ask for a complex and costly estate plan.  When I first started practicing, I couldn’t figure out where this fear came from.  But a quick search of the internet provides some insight.  Countless articles, books, and lectures tout the importance of avoiding probate like it is some poison laced process that only the strong survive. Continue Reading Myth #5- I need to avoid probate!