A deed is the document that reflects ownership in real property. A deed should be recorded with the appropriate county office that maintains records for all real property. You may need to change your deed for a variety of reasons. Any changes to a deed require that a new deed is created and recorded to […]
Life is unpredictable and from time to time circumstances may arise that disrupt your normal routine. If you share a child with a former partner, part of your normal routine likely involves a custody schedule. The question then becomes what happens to my custody schedule in an emergency situation. Presently, our country is battling the […]
Retirement benefits are one of the assets that may be up for division in a divorce action. If you or your spouse was a railroad employee, there are a few things to keep in mind with respect to equitable distribution of a railroad retirement benefit. First, railroad retirement is comprised of two components: Tier I […]
The first step is to appear before the county surrogate to probate the will. The earliest you can initiate probate is after at least ten (10) days have passed since the date of death. The original will is required along with death certificate. You should also have an idea of the estimated value of the […]
As the executor or administrator of a decedent’s estate, you’ll need to review any outstanding debts or liabilities owed by the decedent. These expenses should be paid out of the estate prior to making distributions of assets to intended beneficiaries. One way of identifying any debts owed is to monitor the decedent’s mail for statements […]
Ancillary probate is the probate process that occurs in a different jurisdiction that the primary probate because the decedent owns real estate that is located outside of their state of residence. Ancillary probate may also be necessary to address tangible property that is registered and titled outside the home state, or livestock, oil, gas or […]
In certain circumstances where the decedent did not have a will, surviving relatives may be able to handle their affairs without going through the probate process. If the decedent is survived by a spouse and the value of their estate is less than $50,000, the spouse can file an affidavit with the court. In addition […]
An audit is scheduled when beneficiaries do not agree on how an estate should be distributed or there are questions regarding the estate. An accounting is filed with the court to obtain an audit hearing. The accounting should detail all the assets and debts of the estate to the penny. This is to ensure the […]
Several individuals are required to attend a scheduled adoption hearing. Pursuant to 23 Pa. C.S. Section 2723, the adopting parents and adoptee must appear at adoption hearing and testify under oath where required. In addition to these individuals, the court may direct that all persons whose consents were required, or any agency or intermediary involved, […]
It is always necessary to give all interested parties proper notice of pending adoption proceedings. A copy of the adoption petition should be served on all interested parties, e.g. persons with parental rights to the minor child(ren) involved. If you do not have a good address for an interested party, there are other alternatives to […]
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