The small estate administration can help you if someone who died (the "decedent") did not have many assets. You can ask the Surrogate's Court to let you divide and give away their property to people who have a legal right to inherit.
You can use the free online form to help you in Surrogate's Court if:
- If the decedent (the person who died) had $50,000 or less in personal property.
- You don't plan to sell any real estate that they owned jointly with someone else.
The form is an "Affidavit of Voluntary Administration," also known as the "small estate affidavit."
The free online form will ask you questions. As you are answering the questions, the program is putting the information where it should go on the form.
Print the form and file it with the Surrogate's Court to distribute the property of a person who died.
Last Reviewed: April 24, 2023