1. If a person passes away with assets in his or her
individual name and there are no beneficiaries designated,
it will be necessary for someone to be appointed as executor
or administrator of the decedent’s estate. The person appointed
under a decedent’s last will and testament to handle the
estate is referred to as the executor.
When an individual is named as an executor in a will,
that individual will have to initiate the estate administration
process at the Register of Wills Office in the County where the
decedent lived at the time of his or her death.
CAUTION!!!! Before going to the Register of Wills Office, the
executor must find the decedent’s most recent original will.
Some of the most common locations of the original are:
safe deposit box, a fire proof safe, or at the attorney’s office where
the document was drafted. It is important that the executor takes
time to make sure that they have the most recent will to avoid
probating the incorrect will. It is not uncommon for a decedent
to have created more than one will during their lives. Probating the
incorrect will can cause tremendous harm and confusion
that can easily be avoided.
Once, the executor has the most recent original will, the probate
process can begin. The executor will go to the Register of Wills
with the following items:
1. Original WIll
2. Original Death Certificate
3. Petition For Probate
4. Estate Information Sheet
5. Check for probate fee
At the Register of Wills Office, the executor will take an oath
and be sworn in as the executor to the estate. Furthermore,
the executor will pay probate fees. These fees depend on the
size of the estate. Lastly, short certificates (Letters Testamentary)
will be issued. Short certificates confirm the executor of the estate
as well as the decedent’s date of death. These certificates will be
needed to complete various administrative tasks.
Please click here, to read a recent article on our
Unruh, Turner, Burke & Frees Website about the ten
(10) most common mistakes executors make.
INFORMATION BELOW IS TO ASSIST YOU IN LOCATING
THE CHESTER COUNTY REGISTER OF WILLS TO INITIATE
THE PROBATE PROCESS.
2. Name and address of the Chester County Courthouse:
Chester County Justice Center
201 W. Market Street
West Chester, PA 19380
3. A link to Chester County Register of Wills website
4. The location of the Register of Wills office in the Courthouse:
Chester County Justice Center
201 W. Market Street
Suite 2200
West Chester, PA 19380
5. Chester County Register of Wills hours: Monday thru Friday 8:30am to 4:00pm ONLY.
6. Chester County Register of Wills phone number: 610-344-6335
For more information regarding navigating the probate process in
Pennsylvania please contact Douglas L. Kaune, esquire at
610 933 8069 or email him at dkaune@utbf.com.
Unruh, Turner, Burke & Frees, P.C. is a full service law
firm which has three convenient office locations in
Phoenixville, West Chester and Malvern, Pennsylvania.
The firm primarily services clients in Chester, Montgomery,
Delaware, Philadelphia, Bucks and Berks Counties,
but can represent clients throughout Pennsylvania.
