Why Every Pennsylvania Adult Needs a Will — Even if You Think You Don't

Most people I meet assume a will is something to deal with later — after the house is paid off, after the kids are grown, after retirement. But the law does not wait. If you pass away without a valid will in Pennsylvania, the state's intestacy statute takes over, and the result rarely matches what families actually want.

Under Pennsylvania law (20 Pa.C.S. § 2102 and following), assets pass first to a surviving spouse and children in fixed shares, then up the family tree to parents, siblings, and more distant relatives. A long-term partner you never married inherits nothing. A stepchild you raised inherits nothing. A favorite charity, a close friend, a beloved church — nothing.

A will lets you name a personal representative you trust, choose a guardian for minor children, and direct specific bequests. For young families it is often the single most important legal document you will sign — and for most clients it is far simpler and less expensive than they expect.

If you already have a will but it is more than five years old, it is worth a fresh look. Marriages, divorces, births, moves across state lines, and changes in tax law all affect whether your document still does what you want it to do.