You can sign a mortgage, a lease and a tax return on a screen. In Pennsylvania you still cannot sign a will that way. Here is where the law stands as of November 2026, along with two changes that are already in effect.

Electronic wills are still not valid in Pennsylvania

A Pennsylvania will must be in writing and signed by the person making it at the end of the document. 20 Pa.C.S. § 2502. Pennsylvania's Electronic Transactions Act does not cover wills.

The Superior Court applied that rule in In re Estate of Kittler, 2023 PA Super 180. A will was signed electronically during the pandemic in a video session with a lawyer, witnesses and a notary. It was refused for probate, and the Superior Court affirmed.

Senate Bill 1138 would change this. Senator Lisa Baker introduced it on January 9, 2026 with bipartisan cosponsors, and the Pennsylvania Bar Association supports it. The bill would allow electronic wills signed before two witnesses, who could attend by live video. It would also cover electronic powers of attorney and trusts.

The bill was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee the day it was introduced. Nothing has happened since. The legislative session ends November 30, 2026. If the bill does not pass by then, it has to be reintroduced next session.

Our advice is simple. Do not wait for it, and do not rely on an online will signed with a typed or digital signature. Sign a paper will, with witnesses and a self-proving affidavit, so it can be probated without tracking down witnesses later.

Change 1: banks can release more without an estate

Act 50 of 2025 was signed on November 24, 2025. It doubled the amount a bank may pay directly to close family after a death, without opening an estate, from $10,000 to $20,000. 20 Pa.C.S. § 3101(b). It also raised the limit for claiming a deceased relative's unclaimed property from the State Treasury from $11,000 to $20,000.

For a modest estate, this can mean no trip to the Register of Wills at all. Inheritance tax can still be due.

Change 2: with no will and no family, the estate goes to charity before the state

If a person dies with no will and no living relatives who qualify as heirs, the estate used to go to the Commonwealth. Under Act 50, it now goes first to an endowed community fund serving the person's municipality, school district or county. The Commonwealth takes only if no such fund exists. 20 Pa.C.S. § 2103.

Most people would rather choose for themselves. A will lets you do that.

What has not changed: inheritance tax

Several bills to cut or repeal Pennsylvania's inheritance tax are pending. None has passed. The rates remain 0% for a surviving spouse, 4.5% for children and other lineal heirs, 12% for siblings and 15% for most others.

Frequently asked questions

Are electronic wills legal in Pennsylvania? No. As of November 2026, a Pennsylvania will must be on paper and signed by hand. Senate Bill 1138 would allow electronic wills but has not passed.

Is a will signed over Zoom valid in Pennsylvania? Not if it was signed electronically. In Estate of Kittler (Pa. Super. 2023), a will signed electronically in a video session was refused for probate.

How much can a bank release without probate in Pennsylvania? Up to $20,000 to a spouse, child, parent or sibling under 20 Pa.C.S. § 3101(b), as raised by Act 50 of 2025.

Who inherits in Pennsylvania if there is no will and no family? Since 2026, an endowed community fund in the person's municipality, school district or county. If none exists, the Commonwealth.

Did Pennsylvania eliminate the inheritance tax? No. Repeal bills are pending, but the tax is still in effect.

Aaroe Law Offices, PC prepares wills, trusts and powers of attorney and handles estate administration and inheritance tax returns. Call 610-559-7401 or contact us online. This post is general information, not legal advice.