Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in Pennsylvania

People can appoint whoever they want to act on their behalf. This is true whether others agree or not.

If anyone, whether it is your husband or his siblings, pressures your father-in-law into any provision of a will or in creating a POA, those documents would be subject to challenge.

The parents should be consulting with their own attorney, without anyone else accompanying them into the meeting.

THIS RESPONSE IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE, SINCE I DO NOT HAVE ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED, AND I DO NOT HAVE A REPRESENTATION AGREEMENT WITH YOU.

* If the answers to your question confirm that you have a valid issue or worthwhile claim, your next step should almost always be to establish a dialog with a lawyer who can provide specific advice to you. Contact a lawyer in your county or township.

* Another reason for contacting a lawyer is that it is often impossible to give a good answer in the Internet Q&A format without having more information. The unique circumstances of your situation and things that you may not have thought to mention in your question may completely change the answer. If you want to be sure that you have a complete answer to your question and an understanding of what that answer means, establish a connection with a lawyer who practices in the area of your concern.

.

It does not matter if the family "agrees." They have no say so in the matter and the father-in-law can appoint whomever he wishes if he is mentally competent to make a will. If he is not mentally competent that is a different matter and your father-in-law cannot make a will at all.

That said, the children can share their feelings with their father. However, no child has a right to inherit anything from the father. The father could easily make a will leaving all to a charity and not leave the children a dime. I agree that the parents need to speak to an estate planning lawyer on their own without their children present.

However, if the father has solicited input and the family feels that a neutral should be selected as personal representative, then the parents should either select a trusted friend or some other family member, or a bank or close family attorney if they have one. The same is true of a power of attorney for the mother.

However,if a bank or attorney is selected, then neither is cheap. They are going to charge a fee for their services.