From our “Ask a Question” Mailbag: Preparing a Bucks County Orphans Court Accounting

Most Recently Updated August 1, 2018.

“I am the executor of my father’s estate in Bucks County. My sister and I do not speak, so the process has been terrible. She refuses to sign the family settlement agreement I sent her, and instead has petitioned the Orphans’ Court to make me account. Do I need to respond?”

Preparing a Bucks County Orphans Court Accounting

Preparing a Bucks County Orphans Court Accounting

Yes, you must respond to the Petition. As a beneficiary, your sister has every right to ask that you file a formal account with the Court. She does not have to show that you have done anything wrong, only that she is a beneficiary. She may have done you a favor, because it is clear that she was never going to sign your family settlement agreement.

Her refusal could have meant dragging the estate administration on potentially for years. Now you get a court mandated end date. You will need to file an accounting in a specific format, so you are best served by having an experienced probate attorney assist you. These attorney’s fees are paid from estate funds.

As your sister is potentially litigious, it is also advisable that you have a firm that is also experienced in Bucks County Orphans’ Court litigation. Your sister will have the chance to object to your accounting and you will have to address those objections to the court. This is why it is best to have an excellent accounting submitted, which will make you look better to the court. Once the judge has ruled on all the objections, there will be a final order, which would finally release you as executor. Your sister may not have signed the family settlement agreement, but you will now get the same result through a judge.

Further Estate Litigation Questions?

Preparing a Bucks County Orphans Court Accounting is only one of many Estate Litigation issues our firm addresses. Consequently, if you want to learn more, please read my more detailed article, Trust and Estate Litigation All You Need to Know.

In Conclusion: Preparing a Bucks County Orphans Court Accounting

I hope that this article was helpful in explaining how to prepare a Bucks County Orphans Court Accounting. Further, I included links to even more detailed information on my website. Therefore, please contact me and let me know how I did. Certainly, your comments and questions are welcome!

Let our Probate Litigation Lawyers help walk you through what can be a confusing process. To begin with, call to speak to one of our experienced Probate Litigation Attorneys.  By all means, our lawyers are ready to answer your questions. In fact, feel free to contact our office for a free consultation. Ultimately our goal is to put our 25 years of estate litigation experience to work for you.

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Tags: Bucks County, Estate Litigation, Estate Litigation Attorney, Estate Litigation Lawyer, Formal Accounting, Orphans' Court, Pennsylvania