Will Power Program

We understand that writing a last will and testament is a difficult thing to do. It is an emotional process that can be stressful and filled with uncertainty. AHCOPA’s Wills Workshop will guide you to make informed decisions for you and your family’s future.

“Estate planning is the best way to ensure your home gets passed down to designated heirs and guarantees your wishes are being followed. ”
​-Derrick Thomas, Will Power Program Manager

​We are partnered with Community Legal Services, a legal agency that provides free legal advice in Philadelphia, to create the Wills Workshop. Our 1 hour workshop gives an overview of topics such as:

• Who should write a will
• What a will needs to be a valid legal document
• When to write a will
• Why you want a will
• How you can write a will with an attorney for FREE!

This workshop was developed to minimize the occurrence of tangled titles among Black and other minority families. A tangled title refers to when a deed is held in the name of a deceased person. This usually happens when someone passes away and does not have a will to effectively pass their home on to their loved ones. According to a 2021 study from Pew Charitable Trust, over $1.1 Billion dollars worth of real estate in Philadelphia have tangled titles.

Homes with tangled titles have a greater chance of falling into disrepair and lowering the value of neighboring homes. Heirs, who may be living in the home or managing it as a rental property, cannot take out insurance policies or access government benefits to help maintain the property. A tangled title also strips a family’s ability to grow wealth from a home’s equity. Tangled titles are more common among minority neighborhoods. Pew’s research references a study from the Financial Review to highlight that difference, while 63% of White Americans have a valid will, only 20% of Black Americans do.

AHCOPA is dedicated to the Philly community. Derrick Thomas is AHCOPA’s Will Power Program Manager. Thomas states:

“Households that fail to plan their estate puts their family at great risk for disagreements, tangled titles, and the possibility of one’s wishes not being carried out. These risks can be expensive but most importantly it can tear a family apart. In my course of work I deal with individuals who are living in homes they inherited but their name is not on the deed, making the home a tangled title. People move into the home and need assistance with utilities, basic systems repair, taxes, and much more but they do not qualify because they are not the property owner.

This is something a lot of people are dealing with in communities of color and I work to help bridge the gap. I assist people to obtain ownership of a home they inherited, educate the importance of estate planning, and get homeowners a will drafted at no cost. Estate planning is the best way to ensure your home gets passed down to designated heirs and guarantees your wishes are being followed. My vision is for communities of color to take the necessary steps to preserve their legacy and to protect their biggest investment in which is their home. ”

Join us for our next workshop to start your next step to secure a better financial future for your family!