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Philanthropy Matters

How Act 50 Keeps Final Gifts in Washington County

February 18, 2026 | By Washington County Community Foundation

Leaving a Legacy: New Pennsylvania Law Ensures That Final Gifts Stay Local

For decades, Pennsylvania law imposed a heartbreaking outcome on a small but important group of people. When someone died without a will and without surviving family, their entire estate was claimed by the Commonwealth and absorbed into the state budget, lost to the communities they once called “home.”

That changed on January 23, 2026.