Pennsylvania Probate: The Basics
UPDATED: Oct 2, 2024
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Published Legal Expert
UPDATED: Oct 2, 2024
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right legal decisions.
We strive to help you make confident insurance and legal decisions. Finding trusted and reliable insurance quotes and legal advice should be easy. This doesn’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own.
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about legal topics and insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything legal and insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by experts.
UPDATED: Oct 2, 2024
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right legal decisions.
We strive to help you make confident insurance and legal decisions. Finding trusted and reliable insurance quotes and legal advice should be easy. This doesn’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own.
UPDATED: Oct 2, 2024
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right legal decisions.
We strive to help you make confident insurance and legal decisions. Finding trusted and reliable insurance quotes and legal advice should be easy. This doesn’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own.
When a Pennsylvania resident dies, their property and assets (collectively known as the “estate”) are subject to Pennsylvania probate laws that dictate their collection and distribution. There are many factors involved in the Pennsylvania probate system, including estate size, value, and complications such as number and type of heirs. Luckily, it is easy to navigate the Pennsylvania probate courts on your own. Here’s what you need to know to do it yourself.
Bypassing Pennsylvania Probate
Probate in Pennsylvania is handled by each county’s Orphan’s Court. However, some property can bypass Pennsylvania probate altogether, eliminating the need for Orphan’s Court filings and time-sensitive documentation. Such property includes jointly-held homes, vehicles, and bank accounts, in addition to living trusts that lay out a clear beneficiary.
Additional Pennsylvania Probate Resources
Pennsylvania Orphan’s Court Forms
Adams
Alleghany
Armstrong
Beaver
Bedford
Berks
Blair
Bradford
Bucks
Butler
Cambria
Cameron-Elk
Carbon
Centre
Chester
Clarion
Clearfield
Clinton
Columbia-Montour
Crawford
Cumberland
Dauphin
Delaware
Elk
Erie
Fayette
Forest-Warren
Franklin
Fulton
Greene
Huntingdon
Indiana
Jefferson
Juniata
Lackawanna
Lancaster
Lawrence
Lebanon
Lehigh
Luzerne
Lycoming
McKean
Mercer
Mifflin
Monroe
Montgomery
Montour-Columbia
Northampton
Northumberland
Perry
Philadelphia
Pike
Potter
Schuylkill
Snyder-Union
Somerset
Sullivan
Susquehanna
Tioga
Union
Vendango
Warren-Forest
Washington
Wayne
Westmoreland
Wyoming
York
Also, see our article on Pennsylvania Probate Procedure
Find the right lawyer for your legal issue.
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Mary Martin
Published Legal Expert
Mary Martin has been a legal writer and editor for over 20 years, responsible for ensuring that content is straightforward, correct, and helpful for the consumer. In addition, she worked on writing monthly newsletter columns for media, lawyers, and consumers. Ms. Martin also has experience with internal staff and HR operations. Mary was employed for almost 30 years by the nationwide legal publi...
Published Legal Expert
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about legal topics and insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything legal and insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by experts.