Estate Administration Paralegal

Job Description

Job Description

Estate Administration Paralegal

Boutique Elder Law & Estate Planning Firm | Phoenixville, PA
Full-Time | In-Person

A growing boutique elder law and estate planning firm in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania is seeking an experienced Estate Administration Paralegal to join our team.

This is an excellent opportunity for a paralegal who enjoys taking ownership of files, working directly with clients and fiduciaries, managing detailed financial information, and seeing an estate administration through from probate to final distribution and closing.

We are looking for someone who is highly organized, detail-oriented, proactive, and comfortable independently managing the day-to-day administration of an active estate caseload under attorney supervision.

What You’ll Do

The Estate Administration Paralegal will be responsible for the substantive administration of assigned estates following the initial estate-opening and probate process.

Responsibilities will include:

• Manage estate administration matters from post-probate through final distribution and closing
• Review Wills, probate documents, asset information, beneficiary information, and estate financial records
• Obtain and track date-of-death valuations for bank accounts, investment accounts, retirement accounts, annuities, life insurance, real estate, business interests, and other assets
• Coordinate the collection, liquidation, transfer, and retitling of estate assets
• Communicate with banks, financial institutions, brokerage firms, financial advisors, insurance companies, transfer agents, accountants, creditors, beneficiaries, and other professionals
• Prepare and track life insurance, annuity, retirement, pension, and other death-benefit claims
• Maintain comprehensive schedules of estate assets and liabilities
• Review and manage estate bills, expenses, debts, and creditor claims
• Prepare estate checks and maintain supporting documentation for estate disbursements
• Maintain and reconcile estate ledgers and Estate Checking Accounts
• Gather and organize information required for estate and fiduciary tax filings
• Prepare or assist with Pennsylvania Inheritance Tax Returns, including REV-1500 schedules, under attorney supervision
• Assist with federal estate tax matters and Form 706 preparation when applicable
• Prepare estate Inventories and Status Reports
• Coordinate final individual and fiduciary income-tax information with accountants
• Maintain and monitor estate deadlines, including tax, Inventory, creditor, accounting, court, and distribution deadlines
• Prepare formal and informal estate accountings
• Prepare Receipt and Release Agreements, beneficiary correspondence, and distribution schedules
• Coordinate interim and final distributions
• Maintain regular communication with executors, administrators, trustees, and beneficiaries
• Identify potential legal, tax, creditor, beneficiary, or asset issues requiring attorney review
• Maintain complete, accurate, and highly organized electronic client files
• Proactively move every assigned estate toward final administration and closing

What We’re Looking For

The right candidate is someone who doesn't simply complete assigned tasks—they own their files .

You should be able to look at an estate and quickly answer:

What assets are involved? What are they worth? What is still outstanding? What money has come in and gone out? What bills, taxes, claims, or liabilities remain? What is the next deadline? What are we waiting for? And what needs to happen before the estate can be distributed and closed?

We are looking for someone who:

• Has prior estate administration, trusts and estates, probate, or closely related paralegal experience
• Understands the estate administration lifecycle
• Is comfortable working with financial statements, asset valuations, estate ledgers, and detailed financial information
• Has exceptional organizational and deadline-management skills
• Demonstrates excellent attention to detail and accuracy
• Is comfortable communicating directly and professionally with clients and fiduciaries
• Follows up persistently with financial institutions and other third parties
• Can manage multiple active matters and competing deadlines
• Identifies problems proactively rather than waiting for an attorney to discover them
• Works independently while understanding when an issue requires attorney involvement
• Is comfortable learning and working in a technology-forward, primarily electronic environment
• Handles sensitive financial and family information with professionalism and discretion
• Has a positive, collaborative, team-oriented attitude

Pennsylvania estate administration experience is strongly preferred. Experience preparing Pennsylvania Inheritance Tax Returns, estate Inventories, accountings, and Receipt and Release Agreements is particularly valuable.

Experience with Lackner, Clio or similar legal practice-management software is a plus.

The Kind of Person Who Will Thrive Here

We are building a modern, client-centered law firm where excellent legal work and excellent client service go hand in hand.

You will thrive in this position if you enjoy organization, checklists, deadlines, problem-solving, and bringing complicated matters to completion. You should enjoy being the person who knows exactly where a file stands and what needs to happen next.

We value team members who take initiative, communicate openly, care about the client experience, and take pride in producing accurate, high-quality work.

This is not a position where estate files should sit dormant waiting for the attorney to assign the next task. We want someone who takes ownership, anticipates next steps, follows up, and keeps matters moving.

Why Join Us?

You’ll be joining a growing boutique practice focused on providing sophisticated estate planning, elder law, and estate administration services while maintaining a warm, personalized client experience.

We offer a professional and collaborative work environment, modern technology and systems, meaningful client interaction, and the opportunity to become an important part of a firm being intentionally built for long-term growth.

Benefits include:

• Competitive salary based on experience
• Paid time off
• Paid holidays
• Health insurance benefits
• Retirement benefits
• Professional development and continuing education opportunities
• Supportive and collaborative team culture
• Opportunity for professional growth as the firm expands

Schedule & Location

Full-Time
In-Person – Phoenixville, Pennsylvania

If you are an experienced estate administration paralegal who takes pride in knowing your files, staying ahead of deadlines, providing excellent client service, and moving estates efficiently from administration through final distribution, we would love to hear from you.

To apply, please submit your résumé and a brief statement describing your estate administration experience.