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Pennsylvania Probate Deadlines: What to File and When

The Inventory and the inheritance tax return share the exact same 9-month deadline in Pennsylvania — both count from the date of death, not from when Letters are issued.

20 Pa.C.S., Title 20

By the FigureMyTax Editorial Team · How we calculate

Quick answer: the date that anchors most of the schedule is 9 months from death, when both the Inventory and the inheritance tax return come due together. See the full Pennsylvania probate timeline calculator for your specific estimate.

The core deadlines, in order

DeadlinePennsylvania ruleStatute
DHS notice (if decedent received Medicaid)Within 3 months of grant of Letters20 Pa.C.S. § 3162
Notice to creditors publishedPromptly; starts the 1-year claim clock20 Pa.C.S. § 3162
Inventory dueWithin 9 months of death20 Pa.C.S. § 3301
Inheritance tax return dueWithin 9 months of death (5% discount if paid within 3)PA Dept. of Revenue
Creditor claim period1 year from first publication20 Pa.C.S. § 3532
Audit/objection noticeAt least 20 days beforePa. O.C. Rule 2.5(c)

No direct notice to creditors required

20 Pa.C.S. § 3162: the personal representative is not required to send direct written notice to a decedent's known creditors — only to publish notice of the estate administration in a newspaper and the local legal journal. That publication is what starts the 1-year creditor claim clock under § 3532, whether or not any individual creditor happens to see it.

The 1-year period is about distribution timing, not just a claim bar

Under § 3532, a creditor who misses the 1-year window doesn't automatically lose their claim — they can still recover from estate assets that haven't yet been distributed. If the personal representative distributes assets within that year, or after receiving a claim, and the estate later can't cover a valid claim, the personal representative can be personally liable. This makes the 1-year mark less a hard deadline and more the point at which it becomes safer to distribute.

Facing probate in Pennsylvania?

A local probate attorney can review your estate — many offer a free consultation.

Talk to a Pennsylvania attorney

Pennsylvania probate deadlines — frequently asked questions

Why are the Pennsylvania Inventory and inheritance tax return due on the same date?

Both are tied to the date of death rather than when Letters are issued, and both fall due within 9 months — a Pennsylvania-specific alignment that differs from most states, where the Inventory deadline runs from Letters instead.

What happens if a Pennsylvania creditor claim is filed after the 1-year period?

The claim isn't automatically extinguished — the creditor can still recover from any estate assets that haven't yet been distributed when the claim is presented, under 20 Pa.C.S. § 3532. It's a distribution-timing rule as much as a claim deadline.

When must a Pennsylvania estate notify the Department of Human Services?

Within 3 months of the grant of Letters, if the decedent received medical assistance (Medicaid) — a Pennsylvania-specific notice requirement tied to the state's Medicaid estate recovery program.

How much notice is required before a Pennsylvania estate audit?

At least 20 days before the audit date in counties with an Orphans' Court division, or 20 days before the objection date in other counties, under Pa. O.C. Rule 2.5(c).

Keep going

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Estimate for general guidance only, not legal advice. Based on 20 Pa.C.S. § 3162, 3301, 3532; Pa. O.C. Rule 2.5. Confirm current deadlines with the Register of Wills or a licensed Pennsylvania attorney.