Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in Pennsylvania

That sounds odd. The Register of Wills Office will accept petitions for Letters of Administration if there is no will. The estate still must be administered.

It's also surprising that the bank gave access to the safe deposit box without your showing a "short certificate" issued by the Register of Wills certifying that your mother and uncle were appointed as Personal Representatives of the estate.

Bottom line, all assets must be passed through the estate administration. Assets are used first to pay administration costs and debts of the deceased, including taxes. Only after those are paid may the remaining assets be distributed to heirs.

THIS RESPONSE IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE, SINCE I DO NOT HAVE ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED, AND I DO NOT HAVE A REPRESENTATION AGREEMENT WITH YOU.

* If the answers to your question confirm that you have a valid issue or worthwhile claim, your next step should almost always be to establish a dialog with a lawyer who can provide specific advice to you. Contact a lawyer in your county or township.

* Another reason for contacting a lawyer is that it is often impossible to give a good answer in the Internet Q&A format without having more information. The unique circumstances of your situation and things that you may not have thought to mention in your question may completely change the answer. If you want to be sure that you have a complete answer to your question and an understanding of what that answer means, establish a connection with a lawyer who practices in the area of your concern.

I agree - something does not sound correct here. You do not indicate where your great aunt resided or how much is in her savings account or what debts she has, if any in her estate.

Every state has a simplified process for etates below a certain amount (in PA, its around $20,000). Someone will need to probate an estate for your great aunt and deposit these funds into an estate account. It may be that there is less than the family exemption ($3500) in savings. I can't say since you do not specify values.

As for inheritance taxes, PA taxes those depending on the nature of the asset and the relationship of the party to the deceased. It also depends on what claims there were (funeral, medical, taxes etc.).

I think your parents need to find out exactly how much was in the savings account and go back and have a chat with the Register of Wills to see if there needs to be anything probated even under the simpler form.

Here are the inheritance tax laws if this is a PA estate:

72 P.S. � 9107

Purdon's Pennsylvania Statutes and Consolidated Statutes Currentness

Title 72 P.S. � 9107. Transfers subject to Inheritance

(a) The transfers enumerated in this section are subject to the tax imposed by section 2106.

(b) All transfers of property by will, by the intestate laws of this Commonwealth or, in the case of a transfer from a nonresident, by the laws of succession of another jurisdiction are subject to tax. The transfer of property of a person determined by decree of a court of competent jurisdiction to be a presumed decedent is subject to tax within the meaning of this section and section 2108.

(c) (1) All transfers of property specified in subclauses (3) through (7) which are made by a resident or a nonresident during his lifetime are subject to tax to the extent that they are made without valuable and adequate consideration in money or money's worth at the time of transfer.

(2) When the decedent retained or reserved an interest or power with respect to only a part of the property transferred, in consequence of which a tax is imposed under subclauses (4) through (7), the amount of the taxable transfer is only the value of that portion of the property transferred which is subject to the retained or reserved interest or power.

(3) A transfer conforming to subclause (1) and made within one year of the death of the transferor is subject to tax only to the extent that the value at the time of the transfer or transfers in the aggregate to or for the benefit of the transferee exceeds three thousand dollars ($3,000) during any calendar year.

(4) A transfer conforming to subclause (1) which takes effect in possession or enjoyment at or after the death of the transferor and under which the transferor has retained a reversionary interest in the property, the value of which interest immediately before the death of the transferor exceeds five per cent of the value of the property transferred, is subject to tax. The term "reversionary interest" includes a possibility that property transferred may return to the transferor or his estate or may be subject to a power of disposition by him, but the term does not include a possibility that the income alone from the property may return to him or become subject to a power of disposition by him.

(5) A transfer conforming to subclause (1), and under which the transferor expressly or impliedly reserves for his life or any period which does not in fact end before his death, the possession or enjoyment of, or the right to the income from, the property transferred, or the right, either alone or in conjunction with any person not having an adverse interest, to designate the persons who shall possess or enjoy the property transferred or the income from the property, is subject to tax.

(6) A transfer conforming to subclause (1), and under which the transferee promises to make payments to, or for the benefit of, the transferor or to care for the transferor during the remainder of the transferor's life, is subject to tax.

(7) A transfer conforming to subclause (1), and under which the transferor has at his death, either in himself alone or in conjunction with any person not having an adverse interest, a power to alter, amend or revoke the interest of the beneficiary, is subject to tax. Similarly, the relinquishment of such a power within one year of the death of the transferor is a transfer subject to tax except as otherwise provided in subclause (3).

(d) All succeeding interests which follow the interest of a surviving spouse in a trust or similar arrangement, to the extent specified in section 2113, [FN2] are transfers subject to tax as if the surviving spouse were the transferor.

72 P.S. � 9116 Rate of Inheritance Tax

(a) (1) Inheritance tax upon the transfer of property passing to or for the use of any of the following shall be at the rate of four and one-half per cent:

(i) grandfather, grandmother, father, mother, except transfers under subclause (1.2), and lineal descendants; or

(ii) wife or widow and husband or widower of a child.

(1.1) Inheritance tax upon the transfer of property passing to or for the use of a husband or wife shall be:

(i) At the rate of three per cent for estates of decedents dying on or after July 1, 1994, and before January 1, 1995.

(ii) At a rate of zero per cent for estates of decedents dying on or after January 1, 1995.

(1.2) Inheritance tax upon the transfer of property from a child twenty-one years of age or younger to or for the use of a natural parent, an adoptive parent or a stepparent of the child shall be at the rate of zero per cent.

(1.3) Inheritance tax upon the transfer of property passing to or for the use of a sibling shall be at the rate of twelve per cent.

(2) Inheritance tax upon the transfer of property passing to or for the use of all persons other than those designated in subclause (1), (1.1), (1.2) or (1.3) or exempt under section 2111(m) [FN1] shall be at the rate of fifteen per cent.

(3) When property passes to or for the use of a husband and wife with right of survivorship, one of whom is taxable at a rate lower than the other, the lower rate of tax shall be applied to the entire interest.

(b) (1) When the decedent was a resident, the tax shall be computed upon the value of the property, in excess of the deductions specified in Part VI, at the rates in effect at the transferor's death.

(2) When the decedent was a nonresident, the tax shall be computed upon the value of real property and tangible personal property having its situs in this Commonwealth, in excess of unpaid property taxes assessed on the property and any indebtedness for which it is liened, mortgaged or pledged, at the rates in effect at the transferor's death. The person liable to make the return under section 2136 [FN2] may elect to have the tax computed as if the decedent was a resident and his entire estate was property having its situs in this Commonwealth, and the tax due shall be the amount which bears the same ratio to the tax thus computed as the real property and tangible personal property located in this Commonwealth bears to the entire estate of the decedent.

(b.1) The inheritance tax due upon the transfer of property passing to or for the use of a husband or wife shall be the lesser of the tax imposed under subsection (a)(1.1) or the tax due after the allowance of the credit provided for under section 2112. [FN3]

(c) When any person entitled to a distributive share of an estate, whether under an inter vivos trust, a will or the intestate law, renounces his right to receive the distributive share receiving therefor no consideration, or exercises his elective rights under 20 Pa.C.S. Ch. 22 (relating to elective share of surviving spouse) receiving therefor no consideration other than the interest in assets passing to him as the electing spouse, the tax shall be computed as though the persons who benefit by such renunciation or election were originally designated to be the distributees, conditioned upon an adjudication or decree of distribution expressly confirming distribution to such distributees. The renunciation shall be made within nine months after the death of the decedent. In the case of a surviving spouse taking his elective share of an estate, the renunciation shall be made within the time for election and any extension thereof under 20 Pa.C.S. � 2210(b) (relating to procedure for election; time limit). Notice of the filing of the account and of its call for audit or confirmation shall include notice of the renunciation or election to the department. When an unconditional vesting of a future interest does not occur at the decedent's death, the renunciation specified in this subsection of the future interest may be made within three months after the occurrence of the event or contingency which resolves the vesting of the interest in possession and enjoyment.

(d) In case of a compromise of a dispute regarding rights and interests of transferees, made in good faith, the tax shall be computed as though the persons so receiving distribution were originally entitled to it as transferees of the property received in the compromise, conditioned upon an adjudication or decree of distribution expressly confirming distribution to such distributees. Notice of the filing of the account and of its call for audit or confirmation shall include notice to the department.

(e) If the rate of tax which will be applicable when an interest vests in possession and enjoyment cannot be established with certainty, the department, after consideration of relevant actuarial factors, valuations and other pertinent circumstances, may enter into an agreement with the person responsible for payment to establish a specified amount of tax which, when paid within sixty days after the agreement, shall constitute full payment of all tax otherwise due upon such transfer. Rights of withdrawal of a surviving spouse not exercised within nine months of the transferor's death shall be ignored in making such calculations.

(f) Property subject to a power of appointment, whether or not the power is exercised and notwithstanding any blending of the property with the property of the donee, shall be taxed only as part of the estate of the donor.