Short answer. Up to $25,000; 30 days after the death; no notary on the official form; through a court office.
At a glance
- Limit
- Personal property only, worth $25,000 or less not counting the value of a car.
- Wait after death
- Thirty days or more after the death.
- Notary
- The Voluntary Administration Statement (MPC 170) is signed under the penalties of perjury; the court's bilingual version has no notary block.
- Where it goes
- The statement is filed with the Probate and Family Court in the county where the person lived.
- Official form
- Voluntary Administration Statement (MPC 170). With the instructions (MPC 961) from the Probate and Family Court. Open it
- Simplified procedure
- Voluntary administration. A statement filed with the Probate and Family Court lets a voluntary administrator collect and distribute a small personal-property estate.
In the official wording
Limit
Handling an estate from far away? Estate paperwork help near where the estate is.
"$25,000 or less (excluding the value of a car)"
Wait
"Thirty (30) days or more have passed from the date of the decedent's death."
Notary
"FIRMADO BAJO PENA DE PERJURIO"
Where it goes
"the county Probate and Family Court"
Get it notarized online today
Online notary: open now until 9 PM ET · sessions by appointment · times confirmed by email
A New Jersey notary can notarize this with you on a video call, wherever you are in the U.S. $50 for the session, $10 for each extra signer. Any other fee shows in the booking form before you confirm. Open 7 am to 9 pm ET, every day, by appointment.
What you need
- A valid government photo ID
- A computer or phone with a camera
- The unsigned document
Our certificate states the act was performed using communication technology, as New Jersey law requires. What it must say
Most U.S. recipients accept a remotely notarized document; check with whoever will receive it. What to ask them · Several signers
Three example estates
For a death on November 13, 2025, the stated limit gives:
- $6,300: under the stated limit. See why
- $22,500: under the stated limit. See why
- $37,500: over the stated limit. See why
Your own numbers: open the checker for this state.
Worth knowing
The instructions require the estate to consist entirely of personal property, so real estate in the estate takes it out of voluntary administration.
Official sources
- Mass.gov: Instructions for voluntary administration with or without a will (MPC 961) (checked November 2026)
- Probate and Family Court: Voluntary Administration Statement (MPC 170), Spanish/English version (rev. 4/15/2016, PDF) (checked November 2026)
General information, not legal advice; we are not lawyers. Each holder may still ask for its own form, and a lawyer can confirm whether the estate qualifies.
Common questions
What is the small estate limit in Massachusetts?
Up to $25,000. Personal property only, worth $25,000 or less not counting the value of a car.
How long after a death can the Massachusetts affidavit be used?
30 days. Thirty days or more after the death.
Does a Massachusetts small estate affidavit need a notary?
Not under the official form. The Voluntary Administration Statement (MPC 170) is signed under the penalties of perjury; the court's bilingual version has no notary block.
Is it filed with a court in Massachusetts?
Yes. The statement is filed with the Probate and Family Court in the county where the person lived.
Can real estate pass this way in Massachusetts?
Owning it rules the procedure out.
Is there an official Massachusetts form?
Voluntary Administration Statement (MPC 170). With the instructions (MPC 961) from the Probate and Family Court.
All states: small estate affidavit by state · Connecticut · Michigan · Small estate affidavit: signing and notary checks