Philadelphia Estate Administration Attorney

Philadelphia Estate Administration Laws

Estate administration in Philadelphia is the process of handling all of the issues surrounding the assets and liabilities of a deceased person in Pennsylvania. When a person dies, whether or not they have a will, their remaining assets will become part of their estate. Then, that estate must be administered by a person. When you have been named as the executor or executrix of a will in Philadelphia, you will be responsible for administering the probate process and handling all issues of estate administration, from potentially liquidating assets to distributing property and paying taxes. Even if a person dies without a will in Philadelphia, estate administration still will need to occur. In these kinds of cases, a personal representative is appointed as an administrator of the estate.

Whether you have questions about estate administration following a loved one’s death or you have questions about estate planning in advance to ensure that estate administration goes as smoothly as possible, an experienced Philadelphia estate administration attorney can assist you. At van der Veen, Hartshorn, Levin & Lindheim, we are committed to serving Pennsylvania residents with a wide variety of estate planning matters, and we can begin working with you today.

Elements of Philadelphia Estate Administration

The administration of an estate, or estate administration, has many different components. Some of the elements of estate administration that our Philadelphia probate lawyers can assist you with include but are not limited to the following:

• Starting the probate process and opening the estate;
• Provide the court with the death certification of the deceased and the deceased’s will (if one exists);
• Obtain a tax identification number, or employer identification number (EIN), for the estate;
• Open an estate account at the bank in order to collect and pay costs associated with estate administration;
• Collect assets and, if necessary, have them retitled;
• Deal with any will contests or any litigation that arises from the administration of the estate;
• Determine debts owed by the deceased and pay them;
• Provide all required documentation under Pennsylvania law;
• Handle estate tax and inheritance tax matters;
• Distribute the deceased’s assets to the heirs according to the terms of the will, or according to Pennsylvania intestacy laws (depending upon whether or not there is a valid will); and
• Take care of any final issues before closing the estate.

Dealing with Will Contests and Litigation

In the course of estate administration, one or more parties might contest the will or file a claim that results in probate litigation. When legal issues arise concerning the validity or legitimacy of the will, it is critical to have an experienced Philadelphia probate attorney who can assist you throughout this process.

Contact an Estate Administration Attorney in Philadelphia

If you need assistance administering an estate, or if you want to ensure that the process of estate administration is as straightforward as possible through detailed estate planning in Pennsylvania, one of our experienced Philadelphia estate administration attorneys can speak with you today. Contact van der Veen, Hartshorn, Levin & Lindheim to learn more about how we can assist you.