William Penn Life, 1993 (28. évfolyam, 1-11. szám)
1993-05-01 / 5. szám
Page 2, William Penn Life, May 1993 William Penn LIFE Official Publication of the William Penn Association Published Monthly Office of Publication: 709 Brighton Road Pittsburgh, PA 15233 Phone: 412/231-2979 Third Class U.S. Postage Paid Pittsburgh, PA Permit No. 2724 E. E. Vargo Editor-in-chief George S. Charles, Jr. Frances A. Furedy Associate Editors John E. Lovász Managing Editor NATIONAL OFFICERS E. E. Vargo National President George S. Charles, Jr. National V.P./Secretary Frances A. Furedy National V.P./Treasurer Robert A. Kapinus Assistant Treasurer BOARD OF DIRECTORS Joseph P. Arvay Chairman Michael J. Hrabar Vice Chairman Roger G. Nagy Vice Chairman Anthony C. Beke Charles S. Fabian Louis A. Fodor Elmer A. Furedy Michael R. Kara William J. Kovach Michael F. Tomcsak Elmer W. Toth Frank J. Wukovits, Jr. Frank J. Radvany Secretary of the Board AUDITING COMMITTEE Charles J. Furedy Robert A. Ivancso Co-Chairmen Margaret H. Boso Secretary Dennis A. Chobody Joseph Hamari Ernest J. Mozer, Sr. CONSULTANTS Bruce &. Bruce Company Actuary Horovitz, Rudoy & Roteman C.P.A. Rothman Gordon Foreman &. Groudine, P.C. General Counsel Dr. Julius Kesseru Medical Director Unsolicited articles, letters, manuscripts, pictures and other material submitted to the WILLIAM PENN LIFE are forwarded at the owner's risk, and the WILLIAM PENN LIFE expressly denies any responsibility for their safekeeping or return. The WILLIAM PENN LIFE reserves the right to edit, revise or reject any article submitted for publication. Postmaster: If undelivered, please send form 3579 to: William Penn Association 709 Brighton Road Pittsburgh, PA 15233 Heritage Center needs your support NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ — If you have visited the American Hungarian Foundation’s Hungarian Heritage Center, then you know it is a vital part of the American Hungarian Community. You know its museum, archives, library, special exhibits and sponsored programs provide an irreplaceable common ground for all American Hungarians. But this common ground will be lost—unless you help. The Foundation must raise $850,000 by Sept. 15 in order to forestall foreclosure proceedings on the Heritage Center. With your support, the Foundation can reach its goal. The William Penn Association is appealing to you and all your fellow members to join us in the fight to keep the Center open. All contributions, no matter what the amount, will be greatly appreciated. Your contribution will help the Foundation to continue the important work of the Center, allowing it to preserve our Hun-Save the Heritage Center YES I want to help save the Hungarian Heritage Center. I agree that its continued existence is vital to the preservation and promotion of our great Hungarian heritage and culture and to increasing public awareness of the valuable contributions Hungarian Americans have made in all fields of endeavor. Please accept my enclosed contribution. NAME: ADDRESS: CITY/STATE/ZIP: PHONE:_____________________________AMOUNT: $_____________ Make check payable to 'American Hungarian Foundation.’ Send this form and your tax-deductible contribution to: American Hungarian Foundation 300 Somerset Street P.O.Box 1084 New Brunswick, NJ 08903-1084 garian cultural heritage in America for future generations. Please join us in this worthy cause by completing the form found in this issue and sending your tax-deductible contribution today to: American Hungarian Foundation 300 Somerset Street P. O. Box 1084 New Brunswick, NJ 08903-1084 Your contribution makes a difference. We are counting on you. Bowlers ready for tourney PITTSBURGH — William Penn bowlers are counting down the few remaining days before the beginning of the 50th Annual Bowling Tournament and Scholarship Days. This fun, fraternal event will be held May 28 to 30 in Pittsburgh. Ask anyone who has attended one of our past bowling tournaments and they will tell you what an enjoyable weekend it is. From Friday night’s reception at the Hyatt Regency Pittsburgh at Chatham Center to the bowling competition on Saturday and Sunday, there will be plenty of chances to relax and good times to enjoy. In addition to all the fun, there will be some important work conducted over the weekend. On Friday evening the annual meeting of the William Penn Fraternal Association Scholarship Foundation will be held at 5:30 at the hotel. Our thanks go to Tournament Administrator Stephen J. Ivancso Sr., Tournament Secretary Robert A. Ivancso, Mary Ivancso, and Tournament Co-Administrators Charles Fabian and Elmer W. Toth for their efforts in organizing the weekend. We look forward to seeing you and your family in Pittsburgh during this special weekend. Maleski named commissioner HARRISBURG, PA — The Pennsylvania State Senate Feb. 3 unanimously confirmed the appointment of Cynthia M. Maleski as state insurance commissioner. In a recent letter to National President E. E. Vargo, Ms. Maleski thanked the fraternal benefit system for contacting senators and voicing their support for her nomination. "Your voices came through loud and clear,” she wrote. "One senator told me he hadn’t heard from so many groups on one issue in a long time.” The William Penn congratulates Ms. Maleski on her confirmation. Estate Planning: The Will By Emil W. Herman, Esq., General Counsel A Will is the expression of an individual’s desires regarding the disposition of his or her property after death. As put forth in the last article in this series, the most important reason for making a Will is to be certain that the desires of the Testator (the person making the Will—"Testatrix” in the feminine form) are carried out, and that the state or commonwealth does not determine who will inherit property of a decedent through its law of intestate succession. Typically, the laws of intestate succession (inheritance where one dies without a Will) divide separate property owned by a decedent between a spouse and children. In Pennsylvania, should the decedent die intestate with a spouse but no children surviving, the spouse will share the estate with the decedent’s parents. Only if there are no children or parents surviving will the spouse receive the entire estate. If no spouse or children survive, the estate goes to the decedent’s parents, and if they do not survive, then it goes to the decedent’s siblings or their heirs and so on through aunts, uncles and cousins of the decedent. While the laws of intestate succession may vary in other states, and while it requires a very thin family tree before the state or commonwealth will take property of an intestate decedent, it is nevertheless conceivable that the state or commonwealth could be the final taker. While the Will need not take any particular form, there are certain requirements that must be met before the intended property disposition can be deemed a valid and enforceable Will. The Testator (Testatrix) must be at least 18 years old and of sound mind. A few states do have different minimum age requirements. Sound mind requires that the Testator (Testatrix) know (1) the nature and extent of his or her property; and (2) the natural objects of his or her bounty. With but a few exceptions, a Will must be in writing, signed by the Testator (Testatrix) (again there are exceptions allowing signature by mark or some other person in the Testator’s presence and at his or her direction). The Will must be witnessed by at least two persons. Some states require three witnesses while Pennsylvania requires none at the time the Will is signed. In Pennsylvania, however, if a Will is selfproved, which means that it has been acknowledged by Testator with affidavits of two witnesses, no witnesses need appear at submission of the Will for probate to prove decedent’s signature. Wills may be handwritten (holographic) or typed. If a Will is written in a language other than English, a sworn translation must be attached to the original when submitting it for probate. A Will may be changed by a writing which, while it may not be intended as a new Will, may nevertheless change a provision of an existing Will. Such a document is called a "Codicil.” Generally, a Codicil must follow the same rules as a Will in order to be valid. Revocation of a Will may occur by destroying it or defacing it with the intent to revoke. A specific statement of revocation is recommended as it eliminates the potential for litigation. Certain circumstances cause the revocation of a Will by operation of law, without any overt act on the part of the Testator (Testatrix). This would include revocation by a marriage or divorce. Remember that the Will controls disposition of separate property of the decedent. Jointly owned property with a spouse or other party having survivorship rights passes to the surviving co-tenant (joint owner) without the need for probate or resort to a Will. Life insurance proceeds go to the designated beneficiary also beyond probate. While a beneficiary may be a testamentary trust established in a Will (more on this in later articles in this series), more often than not, the beneficiary is an individual, and thus, insurance proceeds pass without resort to a Will. Check your own insurance to be certain you have made the proper beneficiary designation. Future articles in this series will discuss the contents of the Will, death tax implications and the role of insurance in estate planning. Emil W. Herman, Esq., is general counsel to William Penn Association and senior member of the Pittsburgh law firm of Rothman Gordon Foreman & Groudine, P.C.
