(PHILADELPHIA) Monday, August 8, 2022 – On Monday, August 1, 2022, a new law, initiated by Councilmember Gilmore Richardson, to help prevent tangled titles went into effect. According to research from the Pew Charitable Trusts, Philadelphia has over 10,000 tangled titles, and half of these titles became tangled within the last decade. The vast majority of tangled titles result from heirs not acting after the record owner of a property dies.
The Tangled Title Disclosure Bill requires all funeral service providers to provide their clients with a tangled title information sheet, about legal assistance, probating estates, and how to avoid tangled titles. Providers must share the sheet within five days of receiving the certified copy of the death certificate from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Department of Records is responsible for implementing the new requirement.
“Expanding generational wealth through property ownership is crucial to achieving racial and economic equity,” said Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson (At-Large). “With this law now in effect, we will be able to reach residents at one of the most important moments to help avoid a tangled title. I have experienced the lengthy, frustrating, and expensive process of untangling a title. My goal is to help as many families as possible avoid getting stuck in this process.”
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