Bank accounts after a death in Pennsylvania
A bank or credit union must pay up to $20,000 (the total in that institution) to the spouse, a child, a parent or a sibling, in that order of preference, when shown a paid funeral bill or a funeral director's affidavit (for payments on or after January 23, 2026; $10,000 before).
Checked against official sources: October 30, 2026.
Bank accounts after a death in Pennsylvania
A bank or credit union must pay up to $20,000 (the total in that institution) to the spouse, a child, a parent or a sibling, in that order of preference, when shown a paid funeral bill or a funeral director's affidavit (for payments on or after January 23, 2026; $10,000 before). Money left in a joint account belongs to the surviving owner, and money in a trust or payable-on-death account belongs to the named beneficiary (20 Pa.C.S. 6304).
Law: 20 Pa.C.S. 3101(b); 20 Pa.C.S. 6304
Source: Official page
Do bank accounts count toward the small estate limit?
| Kind of property | How it is treated | Details |
|---|---|---|
Bank accounts in the person's name alone | Left out up to $20,000 | A bank account in the person's name alone is left out if it is paid to family under section 3101(b) (up to $20,000 in each bank). Amounts not paid that way count. Law: 20 Pa.C.S. 3101(b), 3102 |
Joint or payable-on-death (POD) bank accounts | Left out | Money left in a joint account belongs to the surviving owner, and money in a trust (payable-on-death) account belongs to the named beneficiary, not to the estate, so it is not counted. Law: 20 Pa.C.S. 6304(a), (b) |
FDIC insurance after a death
After a deposit owner dies, FDIC insurance on the account stays the same for six months, unless the account is restructured. After six months, coverage is based on who actually owns the money.
Law: 12 CFR 330.3(j)
Transfer-on-death (TOD) and payable-on-death (POD) in Pennsylvania
- Bank account (POD)
Yes
Law: 20 Pa.C.S. Ch. 63 (Multiple-Party Accounts)
Source: Official page
Death certificates in Pennsylvania
Requests need an application form signed by the requester and a copy of a valid government photo ID. A certified copy costs $20. Forms and eligibility rules are on the Department of Health Vital Records website; phone (724) 656-3100.
- Where to get it
- Pennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Records
- Official page
- Official page
Surviving spouse in Pennsylvania
The spouse (or, if none, children in the same household, or if none, parents in the same household) may claim a family exemption of $3,500 in real or personal property. The spouse has first preference for the direct payments of wages (up to $10,000), bank deposits (up to $20,000 per institution) and estate life insurance (up to $11,000). A spouse can transfer the person's vehicle with PennDOT form MV-39, with no title fee for a transfer to the spouse.
Good to know in Pennsylvania
- Since January 23, 2026, a bank must pay up to $20,000 per institution directly to the spouse or nearest relative when shown a paid funeral bill or funeral director's affidavit; the limit was $10,000.
- The Orphans' Court can distribute up to $50,000 of personal property on a small estate petition, even if the person also owned real estate of any value (20 Pa.C.S. 3102).
- Pennsylvania has no transfer-on-death deed for real estate in Title 20; real estate passes by deed, joint ownership, trust, or probate.
Changes in 2024–2026
Act 65 of 2024 (July 17, 2024) rewrote 3101(e) (unclaimed property paid to family). Act 50 of 2025: 3101(b) bank deposit limit raised from $10,000 to $20,000, effective in 60 days (January 23, 2026); 3101(e)(1)(i) unclaimed property limit raised from $11,000 to $20,000, effective in 180 days (May 23, 2026); 2103 escheat changed so an endowed community fund takes before the Commonwealth, effective in 60 days.
Law: HB 1176, approved Nov. 24, 2025
Letters to a bank
Use the free tools below to ask a bank for the balance on the date of death or to present a signed small estate affidavit.
Related pages
Free help in Pennsylvania
A court self-help center or a legal aid office can check whether the estate qualifies, free of charge or at low cost.