Estate Administration

Sykes Elder Law has a wealth of knowledge and experience dealing with Estate Administration as well as other Elder Law Services. We would be more than happy to discuss your situation and answer your questions; click here to contact us.

If you would like more information about Estate Administration, please review the information in the blog posts below

Taxes After Death

Taxes After Death

What tax returns need to be filed after someone dies? In Pennsylvania, here are the main tax returns to consider: Personal Income Tax (1040) By April 15 of the year after death, file the deceased’s final income tax return (Form 1040). If the deceased was married, it...
Medicaid Estate Recovery in PA: How It Works

Medicaid Estate Recovery in PA: How It Works

“Estate recovery” is Pennsylvania’s program for recovering Medicaid costs from the estates of recipients who have died. For example, if Aunt Martha spent a year in a nursing home receiving Medicaid and then died owning a house worth $200,000, the estate recovery...
Where to probate a will in Pennsylvania

Where to probate a will in Pennsylvania

Clients often wonder where a loved one’s will is filed to begin the probate process. The answer is that a person’s will must be filed in the county in which that person resided at the time of death. On a Pennsylvania death certificate, look at box 8d, titled Residence...
How to contest a revocable living trust in Pennsylvania

How to contest a revocable living trust in Pennsylvania

Most people know that a will made under dubious circumstances can be contested after the death of the person who signed it (or allegedly signed it). But these days, many people use revocable living trusts, instead of wills, to pass their estates to others (usually to...
How to save 5% on PA inheritance tax

How to save 5% on PA inheritance tax

Pennsylvania law provides an easy way to save 5% on inheritance tax. Simply make an estimated payments within three months of the date of death. Suppose you are the executor for the estate of your mother, who died August 1. She had assets estimated, after allowable...
#1 reason why trusts fail

#1 reason why trusts fail

A trust can have powerful effects – protecting assets from long term care costs, safeguarding an estate from loss due to unexpected events, preserving benefits for the disabled, saving probate and legal costs … the list goes on. But many trusts fail to work as...