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.

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

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

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

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

Pennsylvania

U.S. Supreme Court

Since 1985

• Free Consultation

Business Law

Business Contracts, Business Dissolution, Business Finance, Business Formation, Franchising, Mergers & Acquisitions

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, Residential Real Estate

Tax Law

Business Taxes, Estate Tax Planning, Income Taxes, Property Taxes, Sales Taxes, Tax Appeals, Tax Planning

Probate

Probate Administration

Elder Law

Q. The successor of my father's deceased lawyer isn’t helping me obtain a will from his files. Is this ethical?

August 24, 2023

A: It is unfortunate that this attorney has stopped communicating with you, especially if he has already confirmed that he is the successor to the prior attorney's practice and has his files. Since you have a copy of the Will, I would recommend that you hire your own attorney (assuming that you are a beneficiary and/or executor under your father's Will) to approach this "new" attorney to demand the original Will (if you are a named Executor) or a copy of the signed Will if for some reason he cannot locate the original. If you are not named Executor your attorney can demand a copy of the signed Will if you are named a beneficiary under the Will in the copy that you have.

Q. Dad passed, left accounts as payable on death to me, his sole heir. One bank is requiring a short form (don't have yet).

August 22, 2023

A: if all of the accounts are POD or TOD or have named beneficiaries, then there is no need for you to probate Will and get Short Certificate.

if your father forgot to designate a POD or TOD or Beneficiary on one of the accounts you may still be able to avoid probate if the amount in that account is $12,000 or less. bank should release that to you as long as you can show that the funeral was paid for, or that you will use that money to pay the funeral.

if you are talking about the discount for PA Inheritance Tax if make a payment within 90 days, if you don't need the cash in this particular account you can use other funds to make the payment and you need only estimate the amount in that account if the bank will not give you a date of death balance and you do not have copies of the bank statement for the month that your father passed away ... Read More

Q. The trustee of my fathers’ estate will not give me an accounting of the estate or release any funds. It has been 14

May 5, 2023

A: If the Trustee ( Execeutor?) is not sharing information with you, you may need to engage your own attorney for Beneficiary Representation to obtain the accounting and release of funds (if that is appropriate). Much may depend on whether your father had a Trust, and this is a Trust Admininstration, or if there is an Estate, and this is an Estate Administration/Probate. If you received a copy of a Will you may be able to determine if you are to receive Estate assets outright of if they are going to a Trust for your benefit. Also, if there is a Will you can either go online in some PA counties and check the Estate records in the County Register of Wills website, or is not available on line you can go to the County courthouse and get copies of the Estate records (copy of Will, copy of PA Inheritance Tax Return, Estate Inventory). If it is a Trust Administration you will need to hire your own attorney if the Trustee is not cooperating with you. ... Read More