Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Chapter 81 - Principal and Income
Section 8121 - Determination and distribution of net income

After a decedent dies in the case of an estate or after an income interest in a trust ends, the following rules apply:
(1) A fiduciary of an estate or of a terminating income interest shall determine the amount of net income and net principal receipts received from property specifically given to a beneficiary under paragraph (5) and the provisions applicable to trustees in Subchapters C (relating to apportionment at beginning and end of income interest), D (relating to allocation of receipts during administration of trust) and E (relating to allocation of disbursements during administration of trust). The fiduciary shall distribute the net income and net principal receipts to the beneficiary who is to receive the specific property.
(2) A fiduciary shall distribute to a beneficiary who receives a pecuniary amount outright and shall allocate to a pecuniary amount in trust the income or other amount provided by the governing instrument or, in the absence of any such provision, the income provided in section 3543 (relating to income on distributive shares) or 7799 (relating to income on distributive shares) from net income determined under paragraph (3) or from principal to the extent that net income is insufficient.
(3) A fiduciary shall determine the remaining net income of a decedent's estate or a terminating income interest under the provisions applicable to trustees in Subchapters C, D and E and by:
(i) including in net income all income from property used to discharge liabilities; and
(ii) paying from principal debts, funeral expenses, costs of disposition of remains, the family exemption, fees of personal representatives and their attorneys and accountants, and death taxes and related interest and penalties which are apportioned to the estate or terminating income interest by the governing instrument or applicable law.
(4) A fiduciary shall distribute the net income remaining after distributions required by paragraph (2) in the manner described in section 8122 (relating to distribution to residuary and remainder beneficiaries) to all other beneficiaries.
(5) A fiduciary may not reduce principal or income receipts from property described in paragraph (1) because of a payment described in section 8151 (relating to minerals, water and other natural resources) or 8152 (relating to timber) to the extent that the governing instrument or applicable law requires the fiduciary to make the payment from assets other than the property or to the extent that the fiduciary recovers or expects to recover the payment from a third party. The net income and principal receipts from the property are determined by:
(i) including all of the amounts the fiduciary receives or pays with respect to the property, whether those amounts accrued or became due before, on or after the date of a decedent's death or an income interest's terminating event; and
(ii) making a reasonable provision for amounts that the fiduciary believes the estate or terminating income interest may become obligated to pay after the property is distributed.
(July 7, 2006, P.L.625, No.98, eff. 120 days)

2016 Correction. Incorrect language was carried in the publication of the 2006 amendment of par. (2). The correct version of par. (2) appears in this publication.
2006 Amendment. Act 98 amended par. (2).
Cross References. Section 8121 is referred to in sections 8122, 8132 of this title.