1Immediate Actions
The first days
First: Get Death Certificates
Required for everythingPennsylvania Division of Vital Records
Office info
Secure the Property
- Lock the residence and secure valuable items
- Forward mail to a responsible family member
- Make a list of what you find (don't throw anything away yet)
Locate Important Documents
2Required by Law
Legal duties
Deposit the Will
File with the Bradford County Register of Wills as required by local probate procedure; verify original-will, petition, oath, witness, appointment, publication, and fee requirements before filing.
Creditor claim window
Creditors generally have 12 months from first complete advertisement of grant of letters to bring claims against the estate. (20 Pa.C.S. Section 3532)
Notify Key Parties
- Banks and credit card companies (to prevent unauthorized use)
- Social Security Administration (1-800-772-1213)
- Employer (if applicable) for final paycheck and benefits
3Assess Your Situation
Before filing anything
Which probate type is right for you?
Small estate? If the estate is worth less than the Pennsylvania small-estate limit (shown on the options below), you may qualify for simplified procedures.
Is there a valid will? If yes, you'll file for probate through the Register of Wills. If no will exists, it's estate administration through the Register of Wills.
Complex assets? Business interests, real estate in multiple states, or contested claims may require Register of Wills or Orphans' Court administration.
Select a probate type below to see specific requirements and costs.
Which applies to your situation?
Not sure? Use the free checker at the top of this page - you don't have to decide this alone.
Pennsylvania small-estate settlement is a court petition under 20 Pa.C.S. Section 3102. Verify Bradford County's current local packet, petition handling, and fee requirements before filing.
- Qualifies:
- $50,000 gross personal property, subject to statutory exclusions
This is a court-directed petition process, not a generic bank affidavit. County petition packets and notice requirements require county hardening.
Bradford County's Register and Recorder page states the office probates estates, collects inheritance tax, is part of the court system, and holds hearings on will contests and appeals due to probate.
- Qualifies:
- Larger estates, or when no simplified option fits
No statewide source found in this pass that requires an attorney for every probate filing. County forms and local practice still need hardening before self-help copy.
20 Pa.C.S. Section 3101 allows limited payment of certain wages, deposit accounts, patient-care accounts, life-insurance amounts payable to an estate, and unclaimed property without letters when the statute's amount, relationship, and documentation requirements are met.
4File for Probate
Where to file, forms & fees
County filing checklist
Bradford County probate filing checklist
Use this checklist to confirm the local Pennsylvania Register of Wills and Orphans' Court, compare common probate paths, gather starting documents, and verify county packet instructions before filing. This is an informational checklist, not legal advice, a court-approved packet, or a replacement for county filing-office instructions.
Where to verify locally
- Register of Wills and Orphans' Court
- Bradford County Court of Common Pleas - Orphans' Court Division
- Clerk
- Bradford County Register of Wills
- Address
- Bradford County Courthouse, 301 Main Street, Towanda, PA 18848
- Phone
- (570) 265-1702
- Hours
- Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; call for probate appointments.
Starting documents to verify
Statewide starting documents
- County Register of Wills probate or administration petition packet (County ROW packet)
- Certified death certificate
- Original will and codicils if applicable
- Petition details for letters
- Renunciations, consents, or bond papers if applicable
- Short certificate or certified-copy request if applicable
Filing fees and deadlines
Filing fees
- Certified copy per page: $2.5
- Bradford County grant-of-letters (probate) fees are graduated on the estate value: $30 (not exceeding $1,000), $50 ($1,000 to $5,000), $60 ($5,000 to $10,000), $70 ($10,000 to $20,000), $80 ($20,000 to $30,000), $90 ($30,000 to $40,000), $150 ($40,000 to $50,000), $175 ($50,000 to $75,000), $200 ($75,000 to $100,000), plus $75 for each additional $100,000. A $41.25 JCS fee also applies. A short certificate is $5, and an estate affidavit is $25. Confirm current amounts on the county fee schedule. Source: Bradford County Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court fees, effective December 1, 2025.
Deadlines
- Creditor claims period: 12 months.
Official links and help
Not sure probate is required for this estate? Start with the free assessment.
Check if probate is neededChecklist details combine county source links with Pennsylvania statutory and state-default source records.
This informational filing guide is not legal advice or a court-approved packet. Confirm final instructions, forms, fees, and filing options with the listed official sources before filing.