Drafting legal paperwork can be tedious.
Furthermore, if you opt to hire an attorney to create a business contract, documents for title transfer, pre-nuptial agreement, divorce paperwork, or the Allegheny Certificate of Officer - Short Form, it could be quite expensive.
Review the page to confirm there is a template for your region.
What is a short certificate? A short certificate is a document that is certified proof of the appointment of the estate's personal representative (executor or administrator). It is required to gain access to the assets of the decedent. The word short refers to the size of the document.
Marriage and divorce certificates may be obtained at the Allegheny County Courthouse in Pittsburgh. A non-certified copy is $4.00, a triple-seal (certified) copy is $10.00. Requests may be made in person or by mail, with a form available at the website payment by mail is via money order only.
This usually requires hiring an attorney, and sometimes results in out-of-pocket costs for the executor. Whether to open probate and get a short certificate is a decision you should enter after understanding all of the potential risks and costs for doing so.
Upon the death of the will maker, someone typically must file the will with the probate court and once that happens, then usually any member of the public can view it. To obtain a will in Pennsylvania, visit the office of the Register of Wills in the county in which the deceased resided.
File your petition for probate along with a copy of the will at the Allegheny County Courthouse Department of Wills in downtown Pittsburgh. You will also need an estate information sheet, proof of identification and an original copy of the death certificate. Pay the fee to the court for the petition of probate.
While Pennsylvania allows individuals to open and work through the entire probate process without legal representation, the sheer amount of paperwork, reporting, and management of resources required can be almost too much to bear for most people.
Short certificates, or Letters Testamentary issued by the Register of Wills, are your proof of appointment. Note that short certificates are valid for 60 days, but death certificates never expire.
Pennsylvania law allows you to avoid this hassle by making your will "self-proving." A self-proving will speeds up probate because the court can accept the will without contacting the witnesses who signed it. To make your will self-proving, you sign your will in the presence of two witnesses.
Short Certificates are $10.00 each and generally accepted for sixty to ninety days following the issuance.
A Short Certificate can be obtained at the Register of Wills office in the county court house.