In 2024, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) published final regulations, to be effective December 1, 2025, requiring financial reporting for non-financed residential real estate transactions. “Anti-Money Laundering Regulations for Residential Real Estate Transfers,” 84 F.R. 70258 (9/29/2024), adopting 31...
The Orphans’ Court Procedural Rules Committee has proposed a number of amendments to rules relating to hearing notices in proceedings for the termination of parental rights. “Proposed Amendment of Rules 4.5, 4.6, 15.4, 15.7, 15.8, 15.9, 15.10, and 15.13 and … Continue reading
On Aug. 18, 2025, the Internal Revenue Service updated the employer identification number (EIN) online application, which the IRS reported was part of ongoing modernization efforts, and should be easier to use. A past source of confusion was that the … Continue reading
The Internal Revenue Service has released a new Form 706, “United States Estate (and Generation-Skipping Transfer) Tax Return,” for decedents dying after 2024. The new form is 5 pages (previous version was 4 pages), but with all the schedules (the … Continue reading
It was not an error of law or abuse of discretion for the Orphans’ Court to find that there was clear and convincing evidence that the probated will was a forgery based on the testimony of a handwriting expert and … Continue reading
It was not an error of law or abuse of discretion for the Orphans’ Court to remove an administrator when the administration of the estate was substantially completed when the administrator was granted letters due to the death of the … Continue reading
Preliminary objections to a petition to revoke the probate of a will were properly sustained when the petition was filed more than one year after probate and the documents in the record that were exhibits to other petitions filed by … Continue reading
The validity and effect of naming beneficiaries of retirement and other investment accounts is governed by 20 Pa.C.S. Ch. 64, and is not testamentary, so an agreement to name a person as the beneficiary of those accounts was not governed … Continue reading
The Bureau of Labor Statistics has published the Chained Consumer Price Index (C-CPI-U) for August 2025, and so it’s possible to calculate various inflation adjustments for 2026. The following are the significant federal estate planning numbers calculated for 2026, with … Continue reading
Because the Superior Court had previously ruled that the agent’s deposit of a refund check of the principal into a joint account with the agent was not a per se breach of fiduciary duty, the court in the second appeal … Continue reading