A small estate affidavit, also known as the ‘Affidavit for Collection of Personal Property’,  is a document that allows individual(s) that feel are rightly due to inheritance when the decedent, the individual that died, did not leave a will. This is only for those that have died with less than $5,000 to $150,000 (maximum depends on the State) total to their name. The individual(s) making the claim will have to submit  small estate affidavit to the Probate Court located in their county or jurisdiction. The petitioner will usually, after submitting, make a notice to any and all creditors as they are to be paid first if there are any outstanding debts on behalf of the decedent.

By State

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

Maximum Probate Amounts & Laws

• AL – $25,000 (§ 43-2-692)
• AK – $50,000 (AS 13.16.680)
• AZ – $75,000 (§ 14-3971)
• AR – $100,000 ( § 28-41-101)
• CA – $150,000 (Section 13100-13116)
• CO – $64,000 (C.R.S. 15-12-1201)
• CT – $40,000 (Sec. 45a-273)
• DE – $30,000 (§ 2306)
• FL – $75,000 (Chapter 735)
• GA – $10,000 (§ 7-1-239)
• HI –  $100,000 (§ 560:3-1201)
• ID – $100,000 (§ 15-3-1201)
• IL – $100,000 (755 ILCS 5)
• IN – $50,000 (§ 29-1-8-1)
• IA – $100,000 (§ 635.1 to § 635.13)
• KS – $40,000 (§ 59-1507b)
• KY – $15,000 (§ 391.030 & § 395.455)
• LA – $75,000 (CCP 3432)
• ME – $20,000 (§ 3-1201)
• MD – $50,000 (§ 1–301)
• MA – $25,000 (§ 3-1201)
• MI – $15,000 (§ 700.3982)
• MN – $50,000 (§ 524.3-1201)
• MS – $50,000 (§ 91-7-322)
• MO – $40,000 (§ 473.097)
• MT – $50,000 (§  72-3-1101)
• NE –  $50,000 (§ 30-24,129)
• NV – $20,000 (NRS 146.080)
• NH – $10,000 (§ 553:32)
• NJ – $20,000 (§ 3B:10-3 to 3B:10-4)
• NM – $30,000 (§ 45-3-1201)
• NY – $30,000 ( § 1301 to § 1312)
• NC – $20,000 (§ 28A-25-1)
• ND – $50,000 (Chapter 30.1-23)
• OH – $100,000 (R.C. 2113.03)
• OK – $20,000 (58 OS § 393)
• OR – $275,000 (§ 114.515)
• PA – $11,000 (§ 3101)
• RI – $15,000 (§ 33-24-1)
• SC – $25,000 (§ 62-3-1201)
• SD – $50,000 (§ 29A-3-1201)
• TN – $50,000 (§ GN 02315.081)
• TX – $50,000 (Sec. 205.001)
• UT – $100,000 (§ 75-3-1201)
• VT – $10,000 (14 V.S.A. § 1902)
• VA – $50,000 (§ 64.2-600 to § 64.2-605)
• WA – $100,000 (§ 11.62.010)
• WV – $100,000 (§ 44-3A-5)
• WI – $50,000 (§ 867.03)
• WY – $200,000 (§ 2-1-201)

Small Estate vs Affidavit of Heirship

A small estate and affidavit of heirship are closely related forms for after the death of someone without a will that divides the real and personal property. Most likely, the person that died did not have a will, and the heirs are seeking legal possession of their rightful property without going through the probate process.

Affidavit of Heirship – Mainly used to identify the heirs to a decedent’s estate. The form is sometimes attached to a small estate affidavit or submitted to transfer real estate that was owned by the decedent. In the case of real property the document is usually filed with the county office in charge of land records (deeds).

Small Estate – Related to the transfer of all types of property; real, personal, vehicles etc. and has to be under a State mandated threshold in order for the heirs to bypass the probate process.

How to Write

Step 1 – Decedent Information – Provide the following:

• The name of the decedent
• State of death
• County
• AND
• Name of decedent
• Date of death in dd/mm/yyyy

Step 2 – Heir’s Information – Enter:

• Heir’s name
• Address
• City
• State
• AND
• The dollar amount of the decedent’s estate
• State of the estate’s recording
• Number of days since the decedent’s death

Step 3 – Heirs and Devisees Information – Enter the required information of each respective heir or devisee for this estate as follows:

• Name
• Address
• Relation to the decedent
• Telephone number

Step 4 – Decedent’s Assets – List all of the decedent’s assets and the value of each on the field’s provided:

• Asset
• Value of asset
• Additional information

Step 5 – Decedent’s Debt’s and Liabilities –  List all:

• Liability/Debt
• Amount owed
• Creditor Information

Step 6 – Heir and Devisee Entitlements: List each, and the property to be delegated:

• Heir/Devisee
• Property
• Enter the state in which the laws shall be governed

Step 7 – Signatures – Submit the following:

• Affiant’s signature

Notarization

• The notary will witness the Affiant’s signature
• Once the signature has been witnessed the notary shall complete the required notary in acknowledgement of the document

Witness Affirmations – Witnesses must not be related or be included in the distribution of the decedent’s estate:

• Witnesses signatures
• Witnesses printed names