Legal Services

1. Basic & Advanced Estate Planning

Regardless of the size of an estate or your family situation, every individual requires a foundational estate plan. A basic, comprehensive plan is typically comprised of three essential documents:

• Advanced Health Care Directive: Includes a Living Will and Medical Power of Attorney to ensure your medical and end-of-life wishes are honored if you cannot speak for yourself.

• Durable Power of Attorney: Designates a trusted individual to manage your financial and legal affairs during your lifetime should you ever become incapacitated.

• Last Will and Testament: Outlines exactly how your assets should be distributed, or functions in combination with a Revocable Living Trust to avoid the time and expense of probate.

Once a foundational plan is in place, your unique circumstances may call for more sophisticated wealth preservation strategies. Depending on the size of your estate, your types of assets, or complex family dynamics, we assess your specific goals and utilize advanced estate planning tools, including:

• Irrevocable and Revocable Living Trusts

• Family Limited Partnerships (geared toward seamless business succession)

• Family Charitable Foundations

• Asset protection and wealth transfer strategies

2. Estate & Trust Administration

Once a proper estate plan is established, it eventually must be executed effectively. When a loved one passes away, navigating the administrative requirements can feel overwhelming during a time of grief.

Bridget Kozlowski Law, PLLC assists executors, administrators, and trustees in understanding and seamlessly fulfilling their legal responsibilities. We provide a full range of compassionate, detail-oriented estate administration services, including:

• Probate & Court Filings: Guiding you step-by-step through the Allegheny County Register of Wills (or local Orphans' Court) to officially open the estate and obtain Letters Testamentary.

• Asset Valuation & Inventory: Assisting in identifying, protecting, valuing, and inventorying complex estate assets.

• Tax Compliance: Preparing and filing the required Pennsylvania Inheritance Tax Return (Form REV-1500) while leveraging strategic early payment discounts to save the estate money.

• Debts & Final Distribution: Resolving outstanding estate creditor claims and ensuring the final, lawful distribution of assets to beneficiaries.

3. Property Assessment Appeals

In Western Pennsylvania, real estate taxes are a significant, recurring financial burden. Because Allegheny County operates on a fixed 2012 base-year system, many property assessments are wildly disproportionate to actual market realities. With the county’s Common Level Ratio (CLR) hovering near historic lows, thousands of taxpayers are overpaying.

Bridget Kozlowski Law, PLLC provides comprehensive representation for residential and commercial property owners seeking to correct unfair, inflated valuations or fight predatory tax hikes.

We represent clients through every stage of the localized appeal process, including:

• Annual Assessment Appeals: Preparing, filing, and litigating annual appeals before the Board of Property Assessment Appeals and Review (BPAAR) to lower your annual tax bill.

• School District Appeal Defense: Defending recent home buyers and commercial owners when local school districts file aggressive appeals attempting to force an unconstitutional tax spike immediately after a property transfer.

• Board of Viewers (BOV) Representation: Advancing complex or unsatisfactory board decisions to the second level of appeal before the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas.

• Evidence Compilation & Analysis: Reviewing local comparable sales, calculating strict fair market boundaries, and coordinating with professional appraisers to present an airtight evidentiary case.