What Is a Short Certificate in Pennsylvania?
What a Pennsylvania short certificate is, how executors get one from the Register of Wills, how many to order and common problems.
How to Avoid Inheritance Tax in PA: 9 Legal Ways to Reduce It
Legal ways to reduce Pennsylvania inheritance tax: the spouse rate, life insurance, gifts, charities, farm and business exemptions, and the 5% early payment discount.
Washington County, PA Register of Wills: Probate Guide
What the Washington County, PA Register of Wills does, where it is located, and how to open an estate and prepare for probate.
Does Pennsylvania Have an Estate Tax? (2026 Guide)
Pennsylvania has no separate estate tax, but it does have an inheritance tax. Rates, deadlines, the federal estate tax and how to plan.
What Is Probate in PA? The Pennsylvania Probate Process Step by Step
Short answer: Probate in Pennsylvania is the legal process of proving a will, appointing someone to settle the estate, paying debts and taxes, and passing what is left to the people entitled to it. It starts with the Register of Wills in the county where the person lived. Compared with many states, Pennsylvania probate is […]
Small Estates in Pennsylvania: The $50,000 Petition and the $20,000 Bank Rule
Short answer: Pennsylvania does not use a simple “small estate affidavit” the way many states do. Instead, there are two shortcuts. A bank can release up to $20,000 from a deceased person’s accounts to close family members with a funeral bill or affidavit. And when the personal property in an estate is worth $50,000 or […]
PA Inheritance Tax: Rates, Exemptions, and How It Works
PA inheritance tax is a state tax on property that passes from a person who dies to the people who receive it. The rate depends on your relationship to the person who died: 0% for a surviving spouse, 4.5% for children and grandchildren, 12% for brothers and sisters, and 15% for most other people. The […]
How to Avoid Probate in Pennsylvania: What Works and What Doesn’t
The main ways to avoid probate in Pennsylvania are joint ownership with survivorship rights, beneficiary designations, payable-on-death and transfer-on-death registrations, and a funded revocable living trust. A will does not avoid probate. In fact, a will is the document that probate is designed to carry out. Related guides: Does Pennsylvania allow transfer on death deeds? […]
What Happens If You Die Without a Will in Pennsylvania?
If you die without a will in Pennsylvania, state law decides who inherits your property. A surviving spouse usually receives all or part of the estate, and the rest goes to children, then parents, then other relatives in a set order. A court officer, not you, appoints the person who settles your estate. Free tool: […]
How Long Does Probate Take in Pennsylvania? A Practical Timeline
When someone passes away, the people left behind often have to deal with both grief and a pile of legal and financial responsibilities at the same time. Probate is usually one of those responsibilities, and most families have questions about how long it is going to take. Related guide: for smaller estates, see the $50,000 […]