Bensalem Township is Bucks County's most populous municipality, with roughly 60,000 residents spread across the sections of Cornwells Heights, Trevose, Andalusia, and Eddington. It sits directly along the Pennsylvania border with New Jersey and is the first Bucks County exit off I-95 north of Philadelphia. The township is in the Bensalem Township School District, served by the Bensalem Township Police Department (the largest municipal force in Bucks County), and its civil docket runs heavy on real estate, tax assessment, and cross-state estate matters because so many residents work in Philadelphia, own property in New Jersey, or have family connections in three states.
Bensalem families with property or heirs in New Jersey, New York, or Delaware face additional estate planning considerations beyond what purely Pennsylvania residents encounter. If you own a vacation home in New Jersey or have beneficiaries living out of state, your will and trust structure must account for estate taxes in multiple jurisdictions. A revocable living trust becomes especially valuable because it avoids probate in Pennsylvania and can simplify management of property held in other states.
The same Pennsylvania execution requirements (20 Pa.C.S. § 2502) apply to your primary estate plan documents, but if you hold real estate in New Jersey, you may need separate documentation or a second probate process in that state. For many Bensalem families, a revocable living trust becomes a strategic tool to consolidate assets and avoid multi-state probate complications. Cross-state families also need clear beneficiary designations on retirement accounts and life insurance, which pass outside probate and prevent confusion.
If your situation involves earning income in Philadelphia while living in Bensalem, retirement accounts from a Philadelphia employer, or property ownership across state lines, see our probate planning page for more details on addressing these specific concerns. We also offer divorce services in Bensalem for families going through separation and custody matters.
A central concern for Bensalem estates is Pennsylvania inheritance tax , which applies regardless of estate size. For estates with significant assets, other questions arise: Does my estate go through probate? How long does the process take in Bucks County? Can I avoid the Register of Wills? These are practical questions that affect your family's ability to access funds and settle the estate promptly.
Many Bensalem residents own their homes outright, and the home is their largest asset. When a home is the primary asset and passes through probate, it can create delays and costs. A trust-based plan transfers the home to beneficiaries outside probate, saving time and the public disclosure that comes with the Bucks County Register of Wills process.
Bensalem also has many families with aging parents or in-laws living in Pennsylvania or adjacent states. If a parent becomes unable to manage their own affairs, the financial and healthcare powers of attorney you've signed must be recognized in the jurisdiction where decisions are needed. A power of attorney executed in Pennsylvania will generally be accepted in New Jersey and New York if properly drafted, but regional variations exist.
Bensalem property assessments, like all Bucks County assessments, were last reassessed countywide in 1972. The Common Level Ratio (CLR) factor for Bucks County is published annually by the PA Department of Revenue, and Bensalem property owners who think their assessment is high compared to actual market value can appeal to the Bucks County Board of Assessment Appeals in Doylestown. The transfer tax in Bensalem is 2% total (1% state, 1% local, split between Bensalem Township and the Bensalem Township School District). For older Trevose and Cornwells Heights properties, deed chain issues and easements occasionally surface during closing and need to be resolved before title can transfer cleanly.
Bensalem residents pick the firm because the office is closer than driving up to Doylestown for a probate filing or hiring counsel in Center City for an estate plan that needs to work in two states. Many of our Bensalem clients have a New Jersey deed, a Philadelphia retirement account, or family in three jurisdictions, and they need an attorney who has filed inheritance tax returns at the Doylestown ROW, closed homes on Bristol Pike, and worked through cross-state asset coordination before. We answer the phone, return calls, and quote a flat fee where the work fits one. Most Bensalem matters can be handled by phone, video, or with one trip to Bristol.
Free consultations available for most practice areas.
Book a Free Consultation Or call 215-949-0888