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    Pennsylvania guide

    What to do when someone dies in Pennsylvania

    Pennsylvania is one of the few states that still levies an inheritance tax — and the rates depend on the relationship between the deceased and the beneficiary. Add the Register of Wills probate process, a flat state income tax on the final return, and PennDOT's vehicle title requirements, and there's a lot to track. Order knows Pennsylvania's specific rules and guides your family through every step, in the right order.

    Content updated: July 2026

    What's unique in Pennsylvania

    State-specific rules that affect how an estate is handled here.

    Pennsylvania inheritance tax

    Unlike most states, Pennsylvania taxes the beneficiary, not the estate itself. Rates vary: 0% for a surviving spouse, 4.5% for direct descendants (children, grandchildren), 12% for siblings, and 15% for all others. Filing is due within nine months of death, and a 5% discount applies if paid within three months.

    Register of Wills probate

    Pennsylvania probate is handled by the Register of Wills in the county where the deceased lived. The process involves filing the will, obtaining letters testamentary, notifying heirs, and settling debts before distributing assets.

    Flat state income tax

    Pennsylvania taxes income at a flat rate of 3.07%. A final PA state income tax return is required for the year of death. If the deceased was a SERS or PSERS member, survivor benefits need to be reported and claimed separately.

    PennDOT vehicle transfer

    Vehicle titles in Pennsylvania transfer through PennDOT using Form MV-4ST. The executor or administrator of the estate typically handles this, and proof of death along with letters testamentary are generally required.

    A glimpse at what Order covers in Pennsylvania

    These are just a few of the Pennsylvania-specific tasks Order surfaces automatically when you select your state.

    File for Pennsylvania probate in Register of WillsLegal & Estate

    Pennsylvania probate runs through the Register of Wills — an elected office in each county. File in the county where the deceased lived, not where family members live now.

    Pay Pennsylvania inheritance taxFinancial Affairs

    Pennsylvania is one of only a handful of states with an inheritance tax. Rates: 0% for spouse, 4.5% for children/grandchildren, 12% for siblings, 15% for all others. A 5% discount applies if paid within three months — this discount alone is worth knowing.

    Transfer vehicle title through Pennsylvania PennDOT (Form MV-4ST)Legal & Estate

    Pennsylvania vehicle title transfers use Form MV-4ST — unique to PennDOT. Executor needs letters testamentary, the death certificate, and the original title. Accounts with POD designations still may owe inheritance tax even if they bypass probate.

    Plus dozens more tasks across all 8 categories: funeral arrangements, digital accounts, dependents, and more.

    Official resources for Pennsylvania

    Pennsylvania Register of Wills (by county)File the estate in the county Register of Wills and obtain letters testamentaryPennsylvania Dept. of Revenue (inheritance tax)File the inheritance tax return and final state income tax returnPennDOT (vehicle titles)Transfer vehicle titles to heirs through PennDOTPennsylvania State Employees' Retirement System (SERS)Notify the pension and apply for any survivor benefit for state employeesPennsylvania Dept. of Military & Veterans AffairsApply for the full property tax exemption under Act 43 of 2023 and burial eligibility at Indiantown Gap, Philadelphia, or Washington Crossing National Cemetery

    What families commonly miss in Pennsylvania

    • Pennsylvania families are often surprised by an inheritance tax bill they didn't know was coming — the rate depends entirely on the beneficiary's relationship to the deceased, siblings and non-relatives can owe 12–15%, and paying within three months earns a 5% discount that many families miss simply because they didn't know the clock had started.
    • Many Pennsylvania families believe that accounts with beneficiary designations or POD designations are exempt from inheritance tax because they bypass the will — but those assets are still taxable, and failing to report them can result in penalties even when probate was otherwise handled correctly.
    • Pennsylvania families who file with the wrong county's Register of Wills — the estate must be filed where the deceased actually lived at death, not where family members are now — face a transfer process that causes real delays before anything else can proceed.

    Deeper reading

    Probate: what families need to know

    Probate rules vary significantly by state. Our full guide explains the process, timelines, and how to avoid common delays in Pennsylvania.

    Military families in Pennsylvania

    Pennsylvania has additional veteran & survivor benefits

    • Apply for Pennsylvania property tax exemption (surviving spouse of disabled veteran)
    • Contact Indiantown Gap, Philadelphia, or Washington Crossing National Cemetery for burial

    Pennsylvania-specific

    Start these Pennsylvania-specific tasks in Order

    These tasks appear automatically in your checklist when you select Pennsylvania as your state.

    File for Pennsylvania probate in Register of WillsLegal & Estate

    File in the county where deceased resided

    Pay Pennsylvania inheritance taxLegal & Estate

    Tax varies: 0% spouse, 4.5% direct descendants, 12% siblings, 15% others

    Transfer vehicle at PennDOTLegal & Estate

    Use MV-4ST form for title transfer

    Plus dozens more tasks added automatically for Pennsylvania families.

    Order walks your family through every step, for Pennsylvania and beyond.

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    Covers all 50 states + DC · Jurisdiction-specific tasks added automatically

    See guides for other states

    Browse all 51 state guides Full guide: what to do when someone dies Back to home