Disclaimer: This is general information, not legal advice. I am not a lawyer. For legal advice about a specific estate, contact a licensed Pennsylvania attorney.
Detailed answer — How a Pennsylvania personal representative confirms probate is closed and a trust is funded
Below is a clear, step-by-step guide a personal representative (executor or administrator) in Pennsylvania can use to confirm that: (1) the probate (estate) administration is complete and formally closed, and (2) any intended trust (for example, a decedent’s revocable trust or a testamentary trust) has been properly funded.
Quick hypothetical to frame the steps
Hypothetical: Sarah is the personal representative for her late parent’s estate. There is a will that names a revocable living trust to receive certain assets. Sarah wants to confirm the Orphans’ Court has approved her final accounting, the estate is closed, Pennsylvania inheritance tax has been handled, and title to the house and some bank accounts have been transferred into the trust.
1) Confirming the probate administration has concluded
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Check the court docket and final court order.
Contact the county Register of Wills or the Orphans’ Court clerk where the estate was opened and ask for the case docket and for certified copies of the court’s final order or decree. A formal court order approving a personal representative’s final account and/or discharging the personal representative is the clearest confirmation that the court’s administration step is complete. Pennsylvania courts with Orphans’ Court jurisdiction are described at the Pennsylvania Courts website: https://www.pacourts.us/court-records/court-types/orphans-court.
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Obtain a certified copy of the approved final account or decree.
If the personal representative filed a final account (or settlement), get the certified order that approves the account and authorizes distribution. The certified order and the filed account are the legal record showing the court accepted the accounting and allowed distributions to proceed.
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Confirm required notices and creditor period are complete.
Make sure notices to known creditors and any legally required publication notices were given and the creditor period (if applicable) has passed or been addressed. The final accounting should show creditors paid or reserves set for claims that remain contested.
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Verify inheritance tax filings and receipts.
In Pennsylvania, inheritance tax is an important administrative step. The Register of Wills or the county office will typically show the inheritance tax return was filed and the tax paid or secured. Ask for receipts or certificates showing that Pennsylvania inheritance tax obligations were discharged or that arrangements (such as bonds) were approved. The Pennsylvania statutes and guidance governing decedents’ estates are in Title 20 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes: https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/LI/cons_check.cfm?txtType=HTM&ttl=20.
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Look for a discharge or release in the file.
The court may enter an order discharging the personal representative from further duty after approving the final account and distribution. A discharge order, or a notation on the docket showing the estate closed, is a formal signal the probate proceeding is done.
2) Confirming that a trust has been properly funded
“Funding” a trust means legally transferring ownership of specific assets into the name of the trustee (often as trustee of the [Trust Name and Date]). Funding steps depend on asset types. Use the steps below to verify funding.
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Obtain a certified copy of the trust (or at least a certificate of trust).
The trustee should provide a copy of the trust document or a certificate of trust (which proves the trust exists and identifies the trustee without exposing all trust terms). This allows institutions to accept title transfers and account retitling.
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Collect written proof of transfer for each asset type.
- Real property: A deed executed by the personal representative (if the estate transferred property) and recorded in the county Recorder of Deeds showing the property now titled to the trustee (e.g., “Jane Trustee, as Trustee of the John Doe Revocable Trust dated X”). Recording a deed is the usual way to fund a trust with real estate.
- Bank and brokerage accounts: Obtain statements or letters showing the account title changed to the trustee or that funds were distributed and a new account was opened in the name of the trust. Banks commonly provide a confirmation letter or account statement showing the trust as owner.
- Stocks and bonds: Get transfer receipts from the brokerage or transfer agent showing registration in the trustee’s name or in the name of the trust.
- Vehicles: Confirm title transfer at the state DMV showing the trust (through the trustee) as owner, if the trust is intended to hold vehicles.
- Safe deposit boxes and physical assets: Inventory and receipts showing possession by the trustee or transfer documents if items were distributed into the trust.
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Get written beneficiary receipts and releases where required.
If the estate distributed assets to beneficiaries who then transferred them into the trust, get written receipts or releases from those beneficiaries acknowledging receipt and (if applicable) transfer to the trust. These documents reduce later disputes.
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Check public records where appropriate.
For land, verify the deed is recorded in the county Recorder of Deeds. For vehicles, check the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation title records. These public records confirm the legal owner.
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Confirm tax and reporting steps tied to funding.
Funding the trust may require tax reporting (estate tax, inheritance tax, gift tax, or trust income tax filings). Confirm with the estate’s accountant or tax preparer that required federal and Pennsylvania returns (and any payments) were filed. If the estate paid sales or transfer taxes or the Department of Revenue issued clearance or receipts, keep those documents.
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Maintain a clear funding schedule or trust funding ledger.
Ideally the trustee prepares (or the personal representative signs off on) a schedule listing each asset, the date and method of transfer, and the recorded evidence (deed book and page, account number and statement date, transfer agent confirmation, etc.).
3) Practical verification checklist you can use right away
- Obtain certified court order approving final account / discharging PR.
- Get proof of inheritance tax filing/receipt from Register of Wills / county office.
- Collect certified copy of trust or a certificate of trust and trustee acceptance.
- Gather recorded deed(s) showing real estate titled to the trustee.
- Get bank / brokerage statements or letters showing accounts retitled to the trust.
- Collect written receipts/releases from beneficiaries as appropriate.
- Keep copies of all transfer documents, checks, and settlement statements.
- If anything remains unclear, request a written confirmation letter from the institution (bank, brokerage, transfer agent) stating the asset has been transferred to the trust.
4) When to get professional help
If you encounter any of the following, consult a Pennsylvania attorney or an experienced estate professional:
- You cannot locate a final discharge or court approval in the court file.
- Institutions refuse to retitle assets without further documentation.
- There are creditor claims, tax disputes, or disagreements between beneficiaries about distributions.
- Large or complex assets (business interests, foreign assets, or disputed real estate) are involved.
Helpful hints
- Keep everything in writing. Signed, dated, and witnessed transfer documents are easier to rely on than verbal confirmations.
- Make a single organized folder (paper and digital) containing court orders, receipts, tax filings, recorded deeds, and transfer confirmations. A funding ledger reduces later questions.
- When in doubt, request a certified copy of the court’s docket entry or order. Court clerks and the Register of Wills can provide official certified documents you can rely on.
- Use a certificate of trust to prove the trust exists without revealing private trust terms; many institutions accept this instead of the full trust document.
- Record real estate deeds promptly. Recording is the primary legal act that transfers public notice and ownership of land.
- Confirm the trustee is ready and legally able to act (has accepted trustee role in writing) and has a taxpayer identification number for trust tax matters if required.
- Keep beneficiaries informed with copies of distributions and receipts. Transparent communication reduces the risk of later disputes.
Again, this is general information only. For advice tied to your specific estate, court case, or trust, contact a Pennsylvania attorney licensed in the county where the estate was administered.