Personal Administration

Helping you through the responsibilities and potential liabilities of executing someone’s estate.

RQP Law
Estate Administration
Personal Administration

Navigating the responsibilities and challenges of being named a personal estate administrator

If you’ve been named the executor or personal administrator of another person’s estate, you have important responsibilities — and you’re also vulnerable to significant personal liability if you make mistakes or neglect to do what’s required. For example, if you fail to pay taxes or creditors before distributing the estate, you could be personally responsible for those debts.

Schedule a FREE consultation with our estate administration attorneys today

When is probate required in Pennsylvania?

Probate is the process of paying the bills of a deceased person, filing taxes, and distributing the balance of the estate to those entitled to receive it. Probate is generally required whenever a person dies in Pennsylvania while owning significant assets. A simplified form of probate is available when the person owns less than $25,000 in assets.

Our lawyers can review your loved one’s assets and determine when the probate process is required.

Learn more about Pennsylvania probate processes and tax consequences of administering an estate.

Probate is not necessary when the estate involves certain assets, such as:

- Assets held in a trust
- Assets distributed by beneficiary designation, including life insurance benefits and investment accounts
- Real estate held in joint tenancy with a right of survivorship

What is expected of me as a personal administrator?

As a personal administrator or executor, you have financial responsibilities to the estate and its beneficiaries. You may be held personally responsible if you fail to properly handle the estate or pay debts and taxes.

To protect your interests, you should hire an experienced lawyer to help you through the process. Legal fees are paid by the estate. You are also entitled to reasonable compensation for the work you perform as personal administrator.

How RQP Law helps estate executors and personal administrators