Does Divorce Invalidate a Will In Pennsylvania?

Getting a divorce does not invalidate an whole will or estate approach below Pennsylvania regulation, but a divorce (even the initiation of a divorce) impacts provisions of a lot of unique estate planning documents and designations.

Less than Pennsylvania legislation, some estate organizing paperwork are mechanically impacted as shortly as a divorce petition is filed.  Other documents are impacted when the grounds for divorce are proven, and on the true divorce decree.

Revocation of Electric power of Attorney Upon Submitting For Divorce In Pennsylvania

Beneath 20 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5605(c), provisions naming a spouse as an agent less than a electrical power of attorney, overall health treatment energy of lawyer, and sophisticated health-related directive are considered invalid and revoked on the filing of a divorce petition.  Portion 5605(c) states:

If a principal designates his wife or husband as his agent and thereafter possibly the principal or his husband or wife files an motion in divorce, the designation of the wife or husband as agent shall be revoked as of the time the motion was filed, until it appears from the electricity of legal professional that the designation was supposed to endure these an occasion.

If you revise your documents immediately after divorce, or if your ability of lawyer is distinct that the designation of your partner as your agent was meant to survive a divorce, then the designation of your former spouse as agent will be upheld.

Revocation Of Provisions In Favor Of Wife or husband In Will Or Belief

Sections 20 Pa. Downsides. Stat. §§ 2507 and 6111.1 govern the affect of a divorce in Pennsylvania on a will, revocable rely on, and other revocable conveyances.

The timing of the revocation of a provision in favor of a wife or husband under a will or have confidence in is different than under the electrical power of attorney statute.  Alternatively of revocation taking place at the time of the filing of a divorce, revocation takes place when the grounds for the divorce are set up.

Establishing the grounds for the divorce requires location throughout the divorce proceedings, not promptly at submitting.  After the grounds for the divorce are set up beneath Pennsylvania legislation, any terms in favor of the wife or husband will be revoked, such as nomination as a fiduciary or beneficiary beneath the files.

Portion 2507(2) governs the impact of a divorce or pending divorce on provisions in a testator’s will below Pennsylvania law and states:

(2) Divorce or pending divorce.–Any provision in a testator’s will in favor of or relating to the testator’s husband or wife shall turn into ineffective for all needs unless of course it seems from the will that the provision was meant to survive a divorce, if the testator:

(i) is divorced from this kind of wife or husband soon after creating the will or

(ii) dies domiciled in this Commonwealth throughout the training course of divorce proceedings, no decree of divorce has been entered pursuant to 23 Pa.C.S. § 3323 (relating to decree of court) and grounds have been proven as offered in 23 Pa.C.S. § 3323(g).

Portion 6111.1 governs modification by divorce or pending divorce on any provision in a revocable conveyance (like a revocable have faith in).  Segment 6111.1 intently mirrors portion 2507(2) and states:

Any provision in a conveyance which was revocable by a conveyor at the time of the conveyor’s loss of life and which was to take effect at or right after the conveyor’s dying in favor of or relating to the conveyor’s spouse shall become ineffective for all purposes unless of course it seems in the governing instrument that the provision was intended to endure a divorce, if the conveyor:

(1) is divorced from such partner right after building the conveyance or

(2) dies domiciled in this Commonwealth all through the program of divorce proceedings, no decree of divorce has been entered pursuant to 23 Pa.C.S. § 3323 (relating to decree of court) and grounds have been set up as offered in 23 Pa.C.S. § 3323(g).

Revocation of Beneficiary Designations In Pennsylvania On Divorce

Beneficiary designations on lender accounts, life insurance policies policies, annuities, and other monetary holdings are not automatically revoked by the submitting of a divorce proceeding beneath Pennsylvania regulation.  As a substitute, very similar to wills and trusts, the designation of a wife or husband will be rendered invalid in Pennsylvania if, at the time of your loss of life, you have been divorced or a divorce action was pending and the grounds for the divorce have been set up.

The affect of divorce on an estate strategy is significant.  If you are divorcing or divorced, revisiting your beneficiary designations and testamentary paperwork with your Pennsylvania probate law firm is important.  Even even though your former spouse will no longer inherit less than the files, it’s crucial to revisit your scheduling to make absolutely sure your assets go to the meant beneficiaries.