Estate Planning · Probate · Pittsburgh
Estate Planning and Probate Attorney in Pittsburgh
Estate planning is not principally about death. It is about control: when no plan exists, a court decides who manages your affairs, and the family pays the cost of that absence.
A power of attorney that was never signed. A will written before the second marriage. A trust that was never funded. They are the situations that bring families to us after a death has already occurred. Lebovitz & Lebovitz, P.A. has handled estate planning and probate for Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania families since 1933.
Estate Planning and Probate Practice Areas
When the estate plan is not coordinated with beneficiary designations, account titles, and the probate process, assets can pass in ways that contradict the plan, and that cannot be corrected after death. Each topic below addresses one part of that coordination. The costs of estate administration, including attorney fees for estate administration in Pennsylvania, which affect what ultimately reaches beneficiaries.
A will unsigned, a POA missing the statutory acknowledgment, a trust unfunded at death. Each is a planning failure that becomes a family problem. 20 Pa.C.S. § 2502, § 5601.
Pennsylvania requires probate filing within one year of death. The executor inventories assets, notifies creditors, files the REV-1500, and distributes the estate. 20 Pa.C.S. § 3503.
PA inheritance tax is due 9 months from death: 0% spouse, 4.5% lineal, 12% sibling, 15% other. A 5% discount applies for payment within three months. 72 P.S. § 9116.
Beneficiary designations override the will. TOD and POD accounts pass outside probate. Pennsylvania does not allow transfer-on-death deeds for real estate.
Challenging a will, contesting estate administration, and beneficiary rights disputes decided in Pennsylvania Orphans’ Court. 20 Pa.C.S. § 3132, § 3521.
An executor who steals, self-deals, hides assets, or delays administration without cause can be surcharged, removed, or held personally liable. 20 Pa.C.S. § 3182.
Business succession, Medicaid eligibility, and inherited property each require planning that goes beyond a standard will and power of attorney.
Beneficiary clarity, executor selection, guardianship designation, asset coordination, and tax planning. A will that fails to address any of these creates the problem it was meant to prevent.
Probate avoidance, incapacity management, privacy, and multi-state property. Whether a trust adds value depends on asset type, family structure, and Pennsylvania’s probate efficiency for simple estates.
The questions Pennsylvania families ask most often about wills, probate timelines, executor duties, inheritance tax, and power of attorney. Each answer links to the full page that covers it.
An executor who delays distribution without justification, withholds information from beneficiaries, or refuses to account for estate assets can be compelled by Orphans’ Court petition under 20 Pa.C.S. § 3182.
For answers to the questions Pennsylvania families ask most often about estate planning and probate, see our Estate Planning & Probate FAQs.
Frequently Asked Questions About Estate Planning and Probate in Pennsylvania
These are the starting questions we hear most often from Western Pennsylvania families. Each links to the page that covers it in full.
What documents does a Pennsylvania estate plan require?
A complete Pennsylvania estate plan typically includes four documents: a will, a durable financial power of attorney, a health care power of attorney, and a living will. Each addresses a different failure point — death, financial incapacity, medical decision-making, and end-of-life care. A will alone addresses only one of the four. See our Wills and Trusts page and our article on estate planning documents in Pennsylvania.
Does a Pennsylvania power of attorney need to be notarized?
Yes, and it also requires two witnesses and a signed agent acknowledgment before any authority can be exercised. A document missing any of those elements will be rejected by banks and financial institutions. See our Power of Attorney in Pennsylvania page for the full statutory requirements.
How long does probate take in Pennsylvania?
A straightforward estate typically moves through probate in six to twelve months. Complex estates with real estate, business interests, or disputes take longer, and when administration stalls without explanation, beneficiaries may have grounds to challenge executor delay. Pennsylvania’s one-year creditor notice period sets a practical floor on final distribution regardless of other timelines. See our article on how long probate takes in Pennsylvania and our Estate Administration and Probate page.
What is the Pennsylvania inheritance tax rate?
Pennsylvania inheritance tax rates vary by relationship: zero percent for a surviving spouse, 4.5 percent for lineal descendants and ancestors, 12 percent for siblings, and 15 percent for all others. Planning before death and timely filing of the REV-1500 both affect the outcome. See our Pennsylvania Inheritance Tax page for rates, valuation rules, and planning options.
What does an executor do in Pennsylvania?
A Pennsylvania executor probates the will, inventories assets, notifies creditors, files the inheritance tax return, resolves claims, and distributes the estate. The executor is a fiduciary with personal liability for errors, and conduct that falls below the fiduciary standard may constitute a breach of fiduciary duty. See our executor duties in Pennsylvania article and our Estate Planning and Probate FAQs for executor duties in detail.
Does a beneficiary designation override a will in Pennsylvania?
Yes. A valid beneficiary designation on an account or insurance policy controls that transfer regardless of what the will says. TOD accounts, POD designations, and jointly held property all pass outside the will. See Does a Beneficiary Designation Override a Will in Pennsylvania and TOD, POD, and Joint Accounts in Pennsylvania.
How does a business interest affect estate planning?
A closely held business is often the largest asset in an owner’s estate. Without coordinated planning, the governance documents and the estate plan can conflict, triggering forced sales, valuation disputes, or operational disruption at the wrong moment. See our Business Succession and Estate Planning page.