For an affidavit to hold water legally, it has to be made voluntarily, signed, and usually notarized. That means a notary public, or someone similar, needs to watch you sign it to make sure it’s ...

For example, in 2024, California allows small estate affidavits for estates valued up to $184,500, while Texas sets its threshold at $75,000. Other states have even lower thresholds, including ...