Are you an executor in Pennsylvania?  If so, one of the fist things that is often scheduled following a death and appointment of the executor, is a review of the contents of the safe deposit box.  

For many years, the procedure of this inventory was unchanged.  But, under a new law, the executor is now required to give notice of the inventory, and to document the contents and to certify both that the state has been notified and the contents of the safe deposit box.

The particulars are set out in a new notice from the state of Pennsylvania.  And, while you can probably decipher and documents the requirements, any good law firm providing services to executors and trustees will have worked out the best new forms required to get this done and will probably provide them as part of the services they provide to you as the executor.

This should stream line the process and make sure that you get acess to the safe deposit box and, that you comply with the terms of the new requirements.

The full requirements for entering a safe deposit box can be found in the inheritance tax bulletin 2011-02

David M Frees III  610-933-8069  [email protected]
Trusts, Estates, and Wealth Preservation Section
Unruh, Turner, Burke and Frees
Pennsylvania Attorneys