Wills and Estates

Probate is a legal process that takes place after someone dies.

The probate process usually includes:

• proving in court that a deceased person's will is legal (usually a routine matter)
• listing the deceased person's property
• getting the property appraised (how much is it worth)
• paying the debts and taxes
• distributing what is left as directed by either the will or, if there is no will, Arkansas law

Many people want to avoid the probate process because it can be a long and expensive process. There are many ways to avoid probate, such as owning property jointly, Payable on Death (POD) accounts, or giving the property away before death. You can also avoid or shorten the probate process with small estate laws.

Small estate laws were enacted in Arkansas to allow heirs to receive the property that the deceased wanted them to have without the long process of probate. In Arkansas, you may be able to avoid the probate process or at least shorten the process if certain conditions are met.

These conditions include:

• the total value of the estate is less than $100,000 and claims (debts or judgments) against the estate have been paid—there are other exclusions and exemptions from this amount, such as the homestead exemption and spouse and child allowances
• 45 days have passed since the death before filing the affidavit
• there is neither a personal representative of the estate already appointed nor a petition for an appointment pending

If there is no real property involved (land or a home), you must follow three steps to submit the estate for Small Estate Probate.

Step 1

An affidavit filed with the probate clerk of the circuit court of the county of proper venue for administration must be completed by one or more of the distributees (heirs). See the form “Affidavit for Collection of Small Estate by Distributee” in “Avoiding Probate with Small Estates Without Real Property Packet (PDF)”. 

Step 2

This affidavit must be filed with the probate clerk. There is a charge of $25 for filing and $5 for each certified copy. No additional fee shall be charged if a will is attached. If there are other heirs, and the other heirs have no interest in the property, they may sign a waiver in which they waive their interest in the property. This waiver would need to be filed with the affidavit.  The waiver would need to be signed by each heir other than yourself who may have an interest in the estate property. See the form “Disclaimer” in “Avoiding Probate with Small Estates Without Real Property Packet (PDF)”

Step 3

After the filing of the affidavit, a copy of the affidavit needs to be furnished to any person owing any money, having custody of any property, or acting as registrar or transfer agent of any evidence of interest, indebtedness, property, or right. In other words, you send a copy of the affidavit which has been certified by the probate clerk to anyone who owed the deceased individual’s estate money or has custody of any property belonging to the estate, such as the bank where the deceased person had their checking account.

You must file an Affidavit for Collection of Small Estate with the probate clerk of the circuit court in the county where the deceased last lived. The affidavit can be filed by one or more of the people receiving proceeds from the estate (called distributees).

The affidavit must state, among other things, that the conditions in the previous section are true.

After you file the affidavit with the probate clerk, the clerk will sign the affidavit and place their seal on it. You can then provide a copy of the affidavit to financial institutions or other persons or entities that have property of the deceased.

• affidavit: a written document where the signer swears under oath (such as notary public) that the statements in the document are true
• deceased: the person who has died
• distributee: anyone who received something—usually the term refers to someone who inherits a deceased person's property 
• homestead: the main dwelling of the family