Common Questions

A living trust ensures your loved ones won't go through enormous expense and delays of dealing with the courts after your death ("probate"). A will does not avoid probate, but a living trust does. In Pennsylvania, a Living Trust is not recorded with the Register of Wills Office and thus all of your affairs are kept private. You can also completely customize how you want your everything handled upon your death.

In addition to planning for your affairs after your death, a living trust also allows you to appoint individuals to manage your affairs should you become incapacitated (alzheimer's, dementia, coma, etc.).

Summary of Living Trust Benefits

• Avoids probate at death, including multiple probates if you own property in other states
• Prevents court control of assets at incapacity
• Brings all of your assets together under one plan
• Provides maximum privacy
• Quicker distribution of assets to beneficiaries
• Assets can remain in trust until you want beneficiaries to inherit
• Can reduce or eliminate estate taxes
• Inexpensive, easy to set up virtually and maintain
• Can be changed or cancelled at any time
• Difficult to contest
• Prevents court control of minors' inheritances
• Can protect dependents with special needs
• Prevents unintentional disinheriting and other problems of joint ownership
• Peace of mind

STEP #1 - Complimentary Consultation via Zoom or Telephone.

I discuss various estate planning matters with you including the benefits of a Revocable Living Trust. I answer your questions. Once it is determined that you want and will benefit from a Revocable Living Trust we go on to STEP #2.

STEP #2 - Information Gathering.

We email you an information gathering document where you answer simple questions like your name and address. The names and address of your beneficiaries. The names and addresses of your successor trustee and agents. Among other information necessary for us to draft your documents.

STEP #3 - First Draft Approval.

Once we have the information that was gathered in STEP #2, we will draft your documents and email DRAFT documents to you for your review and approval. It takes us about a week at most to create a first draft of your documents. Again, they are emailed to you with a summary and an explanatory video for your review. The goal is for us to make certain that the documents accurately reflect your wishes.

STEP #4 - Final Draft and Signing.

Once we have all determined that the draft is accurate and correct, we print and assemble your documents into a 3-ring binder and tabs with cover sheets and reference material for your review and eventual signing. The binder is then mailed to your via Priority Mail.

STEP #5 - Funding the Trust and Recording the Deed.

Once you have properly signed your documents in the presence of two witnesses and a Notary, you will then follow our detailed written instructions on how to change the titles to your financial assets and how to record your new deed.

PA Living Trust Attorney is a law firm that focuses solely on creating simple and affordable living trusts for those who shouldn't need to pay full price. We are a virtual law firm based out of Allegheny County and use technology to serve clients throughout all of Pennsylvania.

John A. D’Onofrio JD is the owner and principal attorney at PA Living Trust Attorney. He has dedicated most of his 39-plus years of practicing law to helping individuals, families, and business owners protect their loved ones and their assets through comprehensive estate planning.

At the onset of his career, John A. D'Onofrio was a law clerk at the international law firm of Fulbright and Jaworski LLP in the firm's Houston, Texas, headquarters.

Following his clerkship with Fulbright and Jaworski LLP, Mr. D'Onofrio was an intern with the Harris County District Attorney's Office in Houston, where he presented 850-plus cases to the Harris County Grand Jury.

When he first commenced the private practice of law, John A. D'Onofrio handled criminal cases, personal injurycases, bankruptcycases, and estate and probate matters. While practicing in Houston, Mr. D'Onofrio had the distinction of being the attorney of record for Charles M. Hall in the then- largest individual bankruptcy in U.S. history.

Upon moving to Pennsylvania in 1987, Mr. D'Onofrio became licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania bythe Pennsylvania Supreme Court under AttorneyIDNo. 51678. AttorneyD'Onofrio is also licensed to practice in U.S. Federal Court. Additionally, Attorney D'Onofrio is licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Insurance.

In 2010, Mr. D'Onofrio was graciouslyawarded the Jefferson Award, a prestigious honor established by the late Jacqueline KennedyOnassis, honoring communityand public service in America. He was featured in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for achieving this honor.

John graduated in 1976 with a B.A. from Mercyhurst University in Erie, Pennsylvania and in 1981 he received his Juris Doctorate from South Texas College of Law in Houston, Texas.

Additionally Attorney D’Onofrio studied Viral Marketing at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania as well as studied Digital Marketing at Columbia Business School; both of which assist him greatly with his virtual law practice.

We get this a lot! We are a virtual law firm working remotely with clients throughout Pennsylvania. Working remotely is significantly less costly on our end (less overhead) and allows us to provide this great service at an extremely low price point.

And from purely a business standpoint, we recognized a huge demand for quality estate planning services for simple situations where clients shouldn't need to pay full price. (So, the low fee is also really good for business!)

My goal is to save you time, gasoline expense, and money!

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