Free guide for Pennsylvania executors

You've just been named executor. Here's exactly what to do.

The Pittsburgh Executor's Handbook walks you through the first 48 hours, the full probate timeline, and everything in between — so you're not guessing your way through one of the hardest jobs you'll ever be handed.

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Helping Families Heal

The Pittsburgh Executor's Handbook

A step-by-step probate workbook for Pittsburgh families

Wendy Witt, Esq.

30 pages · free

What's inside

Thirty pages, in the order you'll actually need them.

30 pages · Allegheny County

Your first 48 hours Page 3
Your first ten days Page 4
The full Pittsburgh probate timeline Page 6
What does an executor actually do? Page 9
Your fiduciary duty — and how to protect yourself Page 10
What probate actually costs Page 15
Do I need a probate attorney? An honest answer Page 17
Worksheets — assets, bills, deadlines, contacts Page 23

Plus a glossary, the inheritance tax rates, and the questions worth asking any attorney before you hire one.

Wendy Witt meeting with a client at her Pittsburgh office

Why this exists

You didn't ask for this job.

If you're reading this, someone you love has probably died, and you've just learned you're the one responsible for settling their estate. Maybe you knew it was coming. Maybe it caught you completely off guard. Either way, there's a good chance you have no idea where to start — and that's completely normal. Almost no one is taught how to be an executor before they suddenly have to be one.

This is the guide I wish someone had handed me and my husband, Joe, when we lost both of his parents in our twenties.

We had no roadmap, no idea what came first, and no idea who to call. I built this so you don't have to learn it the hard way, the way we did.

Wendy WittAttorney & Founder · The Pittsburgh Probate Law Firm

Why it's free

The first thing a new executor needs isn't a bill. It's clarity.

This handbook won't cover every detail of your specific situation — no guide can. But it will get you oriented, calm your nerves about what's urgent versus what isn't, and prepare you for the conversations ahead. Whether those are with us, or with someone else.

Trusted locally

Why Pittsburgh families call Wendy

It's overwhelming when a loved one dies. Going it alone is not an option, so I recommend Wendy Witt and her Pittsburgh Probate Law Firm.

Sam Cordes · O'Hara Twp, PA

Wendy Witt's legal acumen is matched only by her genuine care for clients. She brings both clarity and compassion to every case.

Ryan Very · Pittsburgh, PA

We serve executors and families throughout Allegheny County and across Pennsylvania — from the North Hills to Mt. Lebanon, Squirrel Hill to Sewickley, and everywhere in between. Whether you're local or handling this from out of state, we make it work.

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