Are Wills Public Records?

You may have led your life as a very modest, humble, and private individual. So it is understandable if you believe that the information you write down in your Last Will and Testament should be kept between you, your appointed executor, and your designated beneficiaries. However, this sense of privacy may be threatened once the Pennsylvania probate court becomes involved. Well, with that being said, continue reading to learn whether wills are made public records and how an experienced Butler County will preparation attorney at Heritage Elder Law & Estate Planning, LLC can help you understand what this entails.

Are wills public records in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania?

On the bright side, your Last Will and Testament will not go on the public records during your lifetime. However, the drawback is that it may become a matter of public record in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania upon your unfortunate passing. This is because your Last Will and Testament will have to go through the Pennsylvania probate process at the time of your death. And the first step of this probate process is submitting this legal document to the probate court. Ultimately, as soon as this happens, interested parties and the overall general public may get access to the document’s contents.

There is, unfortunately, no way to avoid this because there is no way to sidestep the Pennsylvania probate process with a Last Will and Testament. This is because your will must be validated by the probate court, so that your assets may be subsequently distributed by your appointed executor to your designated beneficiaries, in the exact manner you desired.

What information is included in the public records?

At the very least, you should be informed of what details within your Last Will and Testament make it to the public records. It may be argued that this is trivial for you, as this information may only be made public when you are no longer around. However, it may matter for the sake of your loved ones and their privacy concerns. Without further ado, information that may possibly be publicly accessed later on includes the following:

• A listing of everything you owned of value within your estate (i.e., real estate properties, business interests, etc).
• A listing of your outstanding debts to your creditors (i.e., credit card companies, personal lenders, etc).
• A listing of who is meant to inherit the assets within your estate (i.e., your designated beneficiaries).
• A listing of who is meant to carry out the terms and conditions of your estate (i.e., your appointed executor).

In conclusion, before entering the legal arena, you must retain the services of one of the skilled Butler County estate planning & probate attorneys. Reach out to Heritage Elder Law & Estate Planning, LLC today.