Trust Services and Estate Planning in Central PA
Are You Prepared for the Next Chapter in Life?
Most of us spend years working hard to build a home, support our family, and prepare for the future. Journey Bank's Trust Services and Estate Planning team is here to help Central Pennsylvania families protect what they've built — and make sure their wishes are carried out when it matters most.
Planning ahead doesn't need to feel overwhelming. It often starts with a few simple steps. Our locally based team provides professional, impartial, and audited trust and estate services — including estate planning, living trusts, financial powers of attorney, trust administration, retirement accounts, charitable giving, and scholarship funds. If you'd like to talk it over, we're here.
Schedule a Consultation
Complete the form below to request a free consultation.
Access Your Trust Account
Call Our Trust Department: 570.387.7146
Protecting What You've Worked Hard For — Trust Services Made Simple
We invite you to watch our most recent podcast where we discuss the many different ways we can help you preserve and protect your assets--right here, close to home.
Our Trust Services and Estate Planning
Journey Bank offers a full range of trust and estate services for individuals, families, and businesses across Central Pennsylvania. Our services are professional, impartial, and fully audited.
Wills and Estate Administration
Your Local and Impartial Estate Executor
A will is a written document that explains how your money, property, and personal belongings should be handled after your passing. It also names someone to carry out those instructions. Without a will, Pennsylvania law determines how assets are distributed, which may not reflect your intentions and can create stress for your family.
When an estate needs to be administered, Journey Bank's team handles the process with care and precision:
- Paying debts and expenses of the estate
- Selling assets where required
- Coordinating with accountants and legal professionals
- Distributing property to your beneficiaries
- Ensuring all beneficiaries are treated as a top priority
Trusts
Your Protector of Assets
A trust is a legal arrangement where assets are managed by a trustee for the benefit of others, such as children, grandchildren, a charitable cause, or a scholarship fund. Trusts can be created during your lifetime or take effect later, and they provide structure for how your assets are managed and distributed over time. Journey Bank's trust administration includes managing assets, coordinating with accountants, and distributing funds according to the terms of the trust.
Some of the ways our clients use trusts include:
- Ensuring the next generation uses funds responsibly
- Creating a steady stream of income for your lifetime, then providing for a charitable organization or scholarship fund close to your heart
- Securing generational wealth for your family for years to come
- Planning for the succession of a small business
- Protecting a family member with special needs without affecting their eligibility for government benefits
Financial Power of Attorney
Your Trusted Financial Affairs Manager
A Financial Power of Attorney allows someone you trust to manage your financial affairs if you become unable to do so due to illness, injury, or cognitive decline. Journey Bank's team can serve in this capacity, keeping things on track while your family focuses on your care and support.
Responsibilities may include:
- Managing and paying your bills
- Ensuring your taxes are completed on time
- Managing accounts and working with financial professionals
- Making sure your care is paid for
Retirement and Investment Management
Asset and Investment Guidance
Retirement and investment planning looks different for everyone. The right approach depends on your comfort level, goals, and long-term plans. Journey Bank's trust team provides support tailored to your preferences — whether you prefer to manage your own investments, work with our professionals, or a combination of both.
Our investment professionals will:
- Work with you to create the best portfolio for your individual goals
- Conduct regular reviews to ensure we're meeting your needs as they evolve
- Offer diversification between fixed income investments, mutual funds, and equity investments to help insulate from major market swings
Charitable Giving and Scholarship Funds
For clients who want their legacy to extend beyond their family, Journey Bank can help structure charitable giving plans and administer scholarship funds. Our team has experience supporting foundations, stewardship initiatives, and scholarship programs across Central Pennsylvania.
Meet Your Trust Officers
When you work with Journey Bank's Trust Services and Estate Planning team, you work with local professionals who have deep roots in Central Pennsylvania. Our trust officers know these communities and are here for the long term.
Jessica Lehman
Executive Vice President, Director Of Trust Services
Jessica leads Journey Bank’s Trust Services and Estate Planning team with a rare combination of legal expertise and deep local roots. A former law firm partner specializing in estate planning, trust administration, and farm succession planning, she was recognized as a Rising Star Attorney by Super Lawyers Magazine four years running. Raised on a farm just outside of Bloomsburg, Jessica brings a genuine understanding of the planning challenges facing Central Pennsylvania families and farm owners.
Jessica is actively involved in the Pennsylvania Bar Association, serving as one of only twelve Zone Governors in the state and as Zone 4 Co-Chair for the PBA's Young Lawyers Division. She also serves as President of the Columbia/Montour County Bar Association and is a member of the Lycoming County Bar Association, and sits on a number of local boards.
Jessica is available on Mondays and Wednesdays at the East Street branch, and Fridays at the Berwick - Market Street branch.
Angela Crossley
Vice President, Senior Trust Officer
Angela brings more than 13 years of banking experience at Journey Bank, with three years dedicated to the Trust Department. She specializes in trust and estate administration and has a background in nonprofit and fiduciary services, including foundations, stewardship initiatives, and scholarship programs. Angela has completed both Cannon Trust School I and II through the Cannon Financial Institute and is a graduate of Leadership Central Penn.
Kelli Fester
Vice President, Trust Officer
Kelli brings more than 7 years of experience with Journey Bank across eBanking, Project Management, and — most recently — the Trust Department. She holds a BSBA in Accounting with a concentration in Fraud Examination from Bloomsburg University and is a graduate of Leadership Central Penn. Kelli's background in accounting and fraud examination adds a sharp eye for detail to the team's trust administration work.
Kristine Morris
Trust Operations Administrator
Kristine has more than 6 years of experience with Journey Bank. She began her career in eBanking and Customer Support before transitioning to the Trust Department in January of 2024. In addition to her experience with Journey Bank, she also brings over 10 years of customer service and administrative experience. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in History with a minor in Professional Writing from Bloomsburg University. Outside of work, Kristine enjoys spending time with her family and reading.
Marla Davis
Senior Trust Clerk
Marla has more than 30 years administrative experience and over 11 years experience with the Bank. She started in the Trust Department in 2008 and then went to Financial Services. She also has administrative experience with Bloomsburg University and Human Resources experience with Playworld Systems Inc. She earned her BA Degree in Mass Communication and a minor in Art History from Bloomsburg University.
A Local Resource for Estate Planning
At Journey Bank, our priority is your legacy. Our Trust Services and Estate Planning team provides careful, dedicated, and impartial administration right here in your community — not from a call center, and not from a national firm that doesn't know your family.
- Local professionals with deep community roots, our trust officers were raised and educated in Central Pennsylvania. They know the communities we serve and the challenges families here face when planning for the future.
- As your fiduciary, Journey Bank's trust officers are legally and ethically obligated to act in your best interest. Our services are fully audited, giving you and your family confidence that your assets are managed with integrity.
- Experience with farms and family businesses, from agricultural succession planning to small business transitions, our team has specific experience with the planning needs of Central Pennsylvania's farm families and business owners.
- Charitable giving and community investment — Our team has experience administering foundations, scholarship funds, and charitable giving programs — for clients who want their legacy to reach beyond their family.
Frequently Asked Questions
A will and a trust serve different purposes, and many people benefit from having both. A will handles things a trust can't, such as naming guardians for minor children. A trust handles things a will can't, such as avoiding probate and providing structure for how assets are managed over time. Our team can help you understand which combination makes sense for your situation.
Estate planning is not only for people with large estates or complex finances. It is really about making things clearer and easier for your family when decisions need to be made. Anyone with a home, retirement savings, or dependents can benefit from having a plan in place.
A financial power of attorney gives a trusted person or institution the authority to manage your financial affairs if you become unable to do so. Journey Bank can serve in this capacity — managing accounts, paying bills, and working with financial professionals to keep things on track while your family focuses on your care.
The process typically takes a few weeks once you've decided what you want. The first step is simply a conversation. There's no paperwork until you've decided to move forward.
Yes. In fact, many people prefer it. Journey Bank's trust officers are local professionals with deep roots in Central Pennsylvania. Trust and estate relationships often span decades, so having a team that knows your family and your community matters.
As your fiduciary, Journey Bank is legally and ethically obligated to act in the best interests of the trust and its beneficiaries — not in our own interest. Our trust services are also fully audited, providing an additional layer of accountability and transparency.
Both individual and institutional Executors are entitled to reasonable compensation for their services. Journey Bank follows the fee guidelines established by the landmark Johnson court case, which is widely recognized as a standard for reasonable Executor compensation. As a result, our fees are generally no greater than those an individual Executor would be entitled to receive for performing the same responsibilities.
Ready to Talk?
Estate planning doesn't need to feel overwhelming. It often starts with a few simple steps that can make life easier for the people you care about most.
Call or stop in to schedule a free, no-obligation conversation with a member of our team. We're here to help you manage your current affairs and prepare for the future so your loved ones don't have to.
Trust and investment services may include both FDIC-insured and non-FDIC insured products.
Non-deposit products are not insured by the FDIC, not a deposit of, or guaranteed by, the depository institution; subject to investment risks, including possible loss of the principal amount invested.
Journey Bank does not provide legal counsel or tax advice. Please consult your attorney or accountant.
