Philadelphia County, PA Consumer Law

Tools and Resources for Philadelphia County, PA Consumers

Pennsylvania Inheritance Law & Probate Procedure

• Pennsylvania PROBATE COURT FINDER:
  
  • Probate Court for Philadelphia County: Key information about your local probate court (Superior Court in Pennsylvania) for Philadelphia County.
• How Probate Works in Pennsylvania: How to handle the probate of an inheritance at Philadelphia County's probate court.
  • Here are links to Pennsylvania probate forms from the Pennsylvania probate court website.
• Small Estates Procedures in Pennsylvania: Learn how to use Pennsylvania's Small Estate procedures that can save you time and money.

  • In the District of Columbia, you can use an Affidavit only if the decedent owned nothing more than one or two motor vehicles.

    D.C. Code Ann 20-357.

    There's a summary probate procedure available for estates with less than $40,000 subject to administration. (This excludes the value of all joint tenancy property and other assets that pass by beneficiary designation, such as life insurance and transfer on death accounts.)

    D.C. Code Ann 20-351 and following.

• Pennsylvania Estate Taxes:

  • Washington D.C. imposes an estate tax on property owned in the District of Columbia. If you are inheriting property from Washington, D.C., it may be subject to estate tax if the overall value of the estate is more than $4,710,000.

• Avoiding Probate in Pennsylvania. Find out what property bypasses probate death and goes directly to beneficiaries. such as:
  • Transfer on Death Deeds (TODDs)

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Pennsylvania Wage & Hour Law

• Pennsylvania Minimum Wage:  

  • The minimum wage in DC is $17 an hour. Because this is higher than the federal minimum wage of $7.25, employees in the District of Columbia must be paid at least $17 an hour. 

    Philadelphia County Minimum Wage

    The minimum wage in Philadelphia County is $17 an hour, the state minimum wage. Pennsylvania law prohibits city and county governments from adopting a local minimum wage that's higher than the state minimum wage. 

    Philadelphia Minimum Wage

    The minimum wage in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is $17 an hour, the state minimum wage. Pennsylvania law prohibits city and county governments from adopting a local minimum wage that's higher than the state minimum wage.

  • Learn more about Washington DC’s minimum wage at https://does.dc.gov/page/wage-and-hour-public-notice.

• Overtime Pay: Every state has rules about weekly maximum hours and overtime. Learn about the overtime laws in Pennsylvania and whether they apply to you.

  • If you work more than 40 hours in a workweek, your employer must pay you 1-1/2 times your regular hourly wage for each overtime hour you work, unless you are exempt. You can find information on the District of Columbia's overtime rules and exemptions on the Minimum Wage Poster, available at the website of the District of Columbia Department of Employment Services.

• Wage Claims: If you're being unlawfully underpaid, you need to learn how to file a "Wage Claim" in Pennsylvania. 

  • The District of Columbia Department of Employment Services website has an information page with links to the forms you need to file a wage claim. 

• Tips : Every state has special pay rates for tipped workers. Find out the rules for tipped workers in Pennsylvania.

  • In Pennsylvania, your employer may pay you a minimum wage of $8 an hour, as long as you earn enough in tips to bring your total hourly pay up to the full minimum wage, $17 an hour. If you don’t earn enough in tips to bring your compensation to the full minimum wage, your employer must make up the difference.

• State Labor Board:
  • Learn more about your rights under Pennsylvania law from the District of Columbia Department of Employment Services. 202-671-1880

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Pennsylvania Unemployment Benefits

• Benefit Amounts in Pennsylvania: Learn how unemployment works, how much you'll get, and for how long.
  • In Pennsylvania, unemployment benefits range from $50 per week to $444 per week.
  • Formula:

    In the District of Columbia, your weekly benefit will be one-twenty-sixth of your earnings in the highest paid quarter of the base period. 

  • Duration:

    In Pennsylvania, you can receive unemployment benefits for a maximum of 26 weeks under state law. 

• Eligibility: >Whether you qualify for unemployment.
• How to Apply: How to apply for unemployment in Pennsylvania.
• Unemployment Office Near Me? How to find your local unemployment office.

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Bankruptcy & Debt

• Free Pennsylvania MEANS TEST CALCULATOR for Philadelphia County (applies the state and county income and expense standards into your means test calculation. Updated with the latest median income and expense standards for April 1, 2024)
• Free Pennsylvania BANKRUPTCY EXEMPTION FINDER: Search detailed listings of bankruptcy exemptions under Pennsylvania law and Federal law, for use in filing out Schedule C, when you file for bankruptcy. 
• Pennsylvania BANKRUPTCY COURT ESSENTIAL INFO: Get information about using your local bankruptcy court.
• FREE BANKRUPTCY FORMS:
  We'll tell you which bankruptcy forms you need and where to find them.

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Child Custody & Family Courts in Pennsylvania 

• State Standards For Custody Decisions: How Pennsylvania Courts make child custody decisions
• Family Court for Philadelphia County: Philadelphia County Family Court information, including maps, forms and links.
• Enforcement of Custody Orders: Can you enlist local police to help enforce a custody court order?
• Child Custody Lawyers: To help you handle your child custody matters.

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Pennsylvania Obamacare

• Sign Up: We have the latest on how to sign up for Obamacare Insurance in Pennsylvania!
• Is Health Insurance Mandatory in Pennsylvania? Learn about whether Pennsylvania imposes tax penalties for not having health insurance.
• Special Enrollment Periods: How to enroll because of a "special enrollment period."
• Rates & Providers in Your County: Information and rates for providers for Philadelphia County if you live in a state served by Healthcare.gov.

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Democracy In Pennsylvania, Philadelphia County, Philadelphia 

• Elected Representatives: Find out the websites and phone numbers of those representing you at the Federal, State, County, and City levels of government.
• How to Vote: Learn how to register and where and when to vote in Philadelphia County, PA.
• Gerrymandering in Pennsylvania: Has your state been gerrymandered? Find out how to end gerrymandering and have voters pick politicians, not vice versa.
• Tracking Issues: Organizations that track legislation you care about 

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Find a Lawyer in Philadelphia County, PA

• Our Lawyers by Zipcode section allows users to find a local lawyer using the best online resources, including on topics we don't cover.
• DUI, Criminal Defense
• Auto Accidents & Personal Injury
• Immigration

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