Probate

Not All Estates Need Probate

Before you begin moving forward, in Pennsylvania, not every estate requires Probate. If the estate is valued at less than $50,000, you can use an easier and smaller estate process instead of Probate. We can review your loved one’s estate to verify if the smaller process fits you.

Your Responsibility as an Executor or Administrator

As the estate Executor or Administrator, some of your responsibilities (that we can help you with) includes:

• • Probate the Will 
  • Inventory and appraise estate assets 
  • Pay Inheritance tax or resolve debts 
  • Distribute remaining assets to any heirs listed in the Will and Trust 
  • Close out the estate with the courts

If the person passes without a Will, we will help guide you through the legal process above and then to distribute the assets to permissible heirs, as determined by Pennsylvania statute. 

Assets Exempt from the Probate Process

As you begin to go through your loved one’s estate, some assets aren’t subject to the Probate process.

• • Revocable Living Trust Assets
  • Life insurance proceeds
  • Specific gifts made during the person’s lifetime

We will educate you on assets that would be exempt from Probate. If there’s time to plan short and long term, we will collaborate with you to discuss any goals and positives or negatives for your specific circumstances. This would include how to protect certain assets from going through Probate or how to manage your assets after your death to reach your short and long term goals.

Our focus is to help you achieve those goals when you pass, by reducing tax and handling your assets per your directives so you can leave the legacy you desire.