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.

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Pennsylvania

U.S. Supreme Court

Since 1985

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

Pennsylvania Real Estate Broker License

Pennsylvania Bureau of Professional & Occupational Affairs

2022

Q. How to update a deed for a home in PA after parents passed away without wills?

July 2, 2025

A: As you describe the deed you are a joint tenant with right of survivorship with your parents. That being the case to clear up title to the property you should file PA Inheritance Tax returns for both of your parents' estates. You most likely would owe PA Inheritance Tax at time of death of your father (you owned a 1/3 interest in the property at the time of his death). At the time of your mother's death you would be subject to PA Inheritance Tax on 1/2 of the property value as joint owner. Whether any tax would be due depends on whether you were the only heir, what other assets you inherited and what estate expenses there were (and debts, funeral expenses, etc) that might offset the tax on the house. Updating the deed itself is usually a fairly simple transaction, but to do this all right you should meet with an experienced probate and real estate attorney. ... Read More

Q. Is the estate responsible for gas and credit card bills, or do we pay them out of pocket?

May 29, 2025

A: if the estate is in probate then there is a process that needs to be filed to provide notice to all creditors and also to review claims of creditors to determine their validity and in this case possibly to determine if the estate is solvent enough to pay all creditors. if the deed is a surviviorship deed then the real estate is not a part of the probate estate. it is not likely that the credit card company can just file a lien against the house. there are a lot of issues that need to be reviewed by an experienced probate attorney for this estate and for your husband's interest in the real estate.

Q. Does my deceased daughter's sibling's wife have a claim on my deceased brother-in-law's inheritance when he passed without a will?

May 23, 2025

A: There is not enough information in your summary to give you a clear answer. Your daughter should meet with an experienced estates attorney in Pennyslvania to discuss in more detail, including a discussion of the family tree and the various dates of death. In general, if there is no Will, and if the sibling died before your ex-brother in law, it is likely that the widow would not be a beneficiary. If the sibling survived, and died afterwards, then it is likely his estate would have claim.