Pennsylvania Act 50 of 2025 Streamlines Estate Transfers and Raises Asset Limits for Heirs
Governor Josh Shapiro signed into law Pennsylvania Act 50 of 2025 on November 25, 2025. The Act amends the amount of assets the Pennsylvania Treasury and financial institutions can distribute to the heirs of a deceased resident of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
- The Act has increased the amount of Pennsylvania Unclaimed Property that heirs can claim, without the need to open a formal estate, from $11,000 to $20,000. Effective 180 days after November 25, 2025.
- The Act has increased the amount a financial institution can distribute to heirs of the deceased, without the need to open a formal estate, from $10,000 to $20,000. Effective 60 days after November 25, 2025.
- The Act has created a fund for those with no Will and no surviving heirs. Originally, any amounts without an heir would be distributed to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. However, the Act has created an "Endowed Community Fund" where assets will be distributed to benefit the municipality, school district, or county in which the decedent resided. Effective 60 days after November 25, 2025.
These amendments will decrease the amount of time and costs associated with a formal estate to claim cash and other unclaimed property under $20,000 from a single source. However, there are still situations where a formal estate is required to distribute a deceased individual's assets to their heirs.
If you have concerns about estate planning or the estate administration process, please contact one of our attorneys in the Trusts and Estates group at 814-870-7600.
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