Rotate Legal Pennsylvania Living Wills Forms For Free

In Pennsylvania, you are not required to have your living will notarized, however, if you are contemplating using the document in another state you should find out if the other state requires notarization.

That said, you can legally write your will yourself. Jarzebowska notes that Pennsylvania does recognize handwritten (or ?holographic?) wills, which are often a good option for people who do not qualify for low-income legal aid but still cannot afford attorneys.

You can also make your own will, but it's easy to make mistakes or miss out important details. While it might seem like the best option now, it could cause costly legal problems for your executors and beneficiaries further down the line, so it's normally better to get professional advice.

The probate process in Pennsylvania begins with filing the deceased's will and a petition for probate with the county Register of Wills office where the deceased resided. If the will is deemed valid, the court will issue Letters Testamentary to the named executor, authorizing them to act on behalf of the estate.

We invite you to download a free copy of "Five Wishes", an easy-to-use legal document written in everyday language that lets adults of all ages plan how they want to be cared for in case they become seriously ill.

Then you, as the testator (the will creator), and they as witnesses sign affidavits stating who you are and that you signed your will in the presence of witnesses. The process requires a notary who then notarizes your signatures. A self-proving will is readily admitted to probate as valid in Pennsylvania.