Michael Cherewka

With my background in accounting as well as law, I can share my unique background and experience when working with individuals, families and small and mid-size businesses in the areas of estate planning, taxation, corporations and business planning, business acquisitions and sales, succession planning, business exit strategies and real estate.

Business Law

Business Contracts, Business Dissolution, Business Finance, Business Formation, Business Litigation, Franchising, Mergers & Acquisitions, Partnership & Shareholder Disputes

Estate Planning

Guardianship & Conservatorship Estate Administration, Health Care Directives, Trusts, Wills

Real Estate Law

Commercial Real Estate, Condominiums, Easements, Eminent Domain, Homeowners Association, Land Use & Zoning, Mortgages, Neighbor Disputes, Residential Real Estate, Water Law

Tax Law

Business Taxes, Criminal Tax Litigation, Estate Tax Planning, Income Taxes, International Taxes, Payroll Taxes, Property Taxes, Sales Taxes, Tax Appeals, Tax Audits, Tax Planning

Probate

Probate Administration, Probate Litigation, Will Contests

• Free Consultation

Pennsylvania

Owner

Law Office of Michael Cherewka

1989 - Current

Owner of law firm dedicated to Estate Planning, Trusts and Estates Administration, Business Planning for small to mid-tier businesses including choice of entity, acquisitions and sales, business exit strategies and succession planning

Dickinson School of Law

J.D.

1978 - 1981

Honors: cum laude Woolsack Society

Bucknell University

B.S. | Accounting

1973 - 1978

Honors: cum laude Delta Mu Delta Omicron Delta Kappa College Register

Distinguished Service Award

American Heart Association

1997

Pennsylvania State Bar

Member

Current

Alliance of Merger & Acquisition Advisors

Member

2015 - Current

Elder Care Matters Alliance

Member

2014 - Current

Wealth Counsel

Member

1997 - Current

Strictly Business

Quantum Press

2002

How To Close An Estate, Mechanicsburg , Pennsylvania

August 12, 2016

Pennsylvania Bar Institute

Handling Real Estate Transactions From Start to Finish, Harrisburg , Pennsylvania

April 18, 2017

National Business Institute

VA Accredited Attorney

United States Department of Veterans Affairs

Q. I am redoing my will. I am divorced, but I would like to make my former wife the primary beneficiary of my estate.

4 May 2021

A: From the point of view of your Will, you can leave your Estate to anyone you choose, and in this case you would just no longer reference your primary beneficiary as "my wife". From a Pennsylvania Inheritance Tax point of view, this is a major change since the tax rate for bequests to your "Wife" would have been -0-, but the tax rate on bequests to your "Former Wife" is 15%. As you do your planning the Pennsylvania Inheritance Tax Rate on bequests to your children would be 4.5%.

Q. Dad passed in 2/18. The executors took their share of monies but will not disperse mine until I sign off on house.

3 May 2021

A: It sounds like your executors are attempting to settle the estate with a Family Settlement Agreement which is the most common way to settle a small estate. If you are not in agreement with the proposed settlement you, as a beneficiary, have a right to request a formal accounting of the estate. You will probably want to hire an attorney to assist you at this stage.

Q. What can a lawyer do?

26 April 2021

A: First of all are you sure there is a Will? If your sister-in-law claims there is a Will, and that she is named Executor, and if she has done nothing to date your wife has some options, and she needs to meet with an experienced estate attorney to see what option is best. If you think there is a Will but it has not been probated and your wife has not seen the Will she can file a petition to compel the filing of the Will. If you have a copy of the Will, and your wife is named the alternate executor, or if there is no alternate and your wife is the only other sibling, she may be able to file a petition to probate the copy of the Will and ask that she be appointed the executor since her sister has failed to fulfill her fiduciary duties. And if you do not know if there is a Will then your wife can file a petition to be appointed an Administrator to open an intestacy administration. Any of these types of actions will force your sister-in-law to act, or will allow your wife to be appointed to open an estate and move forward.