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A 3-step process for Pennsylvania Treasury — Bureau of Unclaimed Property after a death in Pennsylvania.
Administering agency
Pennsylvania Treasury — Bureau of Unclaimed Property
Authority
72 P.S. 1301.1 et seq. (Disposition of Abandoned and Unclaimed Property Act)
Search unclaimedproperty.patreasury.gov, then file a claim with the Treasury with proof of death and proof of authority. An active estate or property over $11,000 generally requires a short certificate from the Register of Wills; smaller amounts with no active estate may be claimed with a certified death certificate and a relationship affidavit.
No. Pennsylvania holds unclaimed property until it is claimed under the Disposition of Abandoned and Unclaimed Property Act, so heirs generally face no deadline to file a claim.
Yes, in two situations. First, for property valued at $11,000 or less with no active estate, a direct family member (spouse, child, parent, or sibling, in that preference order) may claim without court appointment. Second, for property under $20,000 where the estate was closed more than five years ago or no estate exists, the Bureau of Unclaimed Property accepts a Relationship by Entitlement to Decedent Owner Affidavit — a sworn statement of the claimant's relationship and the absence of a personal representative — in place of Letters Testamentary. Act 65 of 2024 (effective September 15, 2024) expanded the eligible claimant categories for this affidavit.
Administering agency
Pennsylvania Treasury — Bureau of Unclaimed Property
Authority
72 P.S. 1301.1 et seq. (Disposition of Abandoned and Unclaimed Property Act)