SMALL ESTATE ADMINISTRATION
District of Columbia
DC-ET20
Introduction: If the property of a decedent subject to administration in the District of Columbia has a value of
$40,000 or less, the property may be administered as a small estate in accordance with the provisions of Title
20, Chapter 3, Sub-Chapter VI “Small Estates” §§ 20-351 – 20-257.
Any person eligible to be a personal representative may file the Petition. The order of preference as personal
representatives is:
1. The personal representative or representatives named in a will admitted to probate;
2. The surviving spouse or children of an intestate decedent or the surviving spouse of a testate
decedent;
3. The residuary legatees;
4. The children of a testate decedent;
5. The grandchildren of the decedent;
6. The parents of the decedent;
7. The brothers and sisters of the decedent;
8. The next of kin of the decedent;
9. Other relations of the decedent;
10. The largest creditor of the decedent who applies for administration;
11. Any other person.
Forms included:
Form One Petition for Small Estate Administration
Form Two Order re Small Estate Administration
Form Three Notice
Form Four Affidavit of Publication
Form Five Verified Statement of Claims
Form Six Final Order
Steps:
Examine Form One and carefully and completely answer all the questions and provide all the required
information. The Court will judge the document on completeness. The more complete the Petition the more
the likely the Court will grant Small Estate Administration.
If the Court approves the Petition and grants Small Estate status, the first issue will be the payment of
funeral expense and family allowance. If necessary the Court may order property sold in order to pay these
expenses.
If after the payment of funeral expenses, and in the absence of a request for payment of a family
allowance, assets remain in the estate, the Court may admit the Will and order Notice be published. For a
period of 30 days after publication, claims may be filed and issues regarding the validity of the Will may be
raised.
Form One Petition for Small Estate Administration
Superior Court of the District of Columbia
Probate Division
500 Indiana Ave,. N.W., Room 5000
Washington, D.C. 20001
RE: ESTATE OF
_____________________________
CIVIL ACTION No. ______________
PETITION FOR ADMINISTRATION OF A SMALL ESTATE
1. The Petitioner, _____________________________ alleges that _____________________________ , a
resident of _____________________________ County, whose social security number was
_____________________________ and whose last known address was _____________________________
died on _____________________________ , ___________ .
2. Petitioner, a(n) _____________________________ citizen, resides at
_____________________________ .
a. Petitioner’s relationship to Decedent is as _____________________________ .
12. Petitioner’s interest in the estate is: _____________________________ .
c. Petitioner has the following legal disability: None, Underage Minor Other,
specify _____________________________ .
3. Petitioner is aware of the following proceedings concerning Decedent’s estate:
None (specify) _____________________________
4. Petitioner has concluded, after a diligent search that, at the time of death, the Decedent owned the
following real and personal property:
a. Personal Property:
CHARACTER LOCATION ESTMATED VALUE
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
b. Real Property:
CHARACTER LOCATION ESTMATED VALUE
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
5. The estimated debts and funeral expenses of the estate are:
CREDITOR NATURE OF OBLIGATION BALANCE
CONTINGENT/DISPUTED
________________________ ________________________ _____________ ________________________
________________________ ________________________ _____________ ________________________
________________________ ________________________ _____________ ________________________
________________________ ________________________ _____________ ________________________
________________________ ________________________ _____________ ________________________
________________________ ________________________ _____________ ________________________
________________________ ________________________ _____________ ________________________
________________________ ________________________ _____________ ________________________
________________________ ________________________ _____________ ________________________
6. The following are the names and addresses of all parties known to the Petitioner that are interested in
the estate:
NAME ADDRESS NATURE OF INTEREST
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
7. The names and addresses of all persons who were witnesses to the Will are:
NAME ADDRESS TELEPHONE NO.
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
8. Decedent died:
a. Intestate and a diligent but unsuccessful search has been made for a Will.
b. Testate and:
the original of the Will is attached hereto a copy is attached hereto and the
original has already been filed
Petitioner is not aware of a later Will. other
NOTE: If any information called for in items 1 – 8 is unavailable, explain in the detail the
reasons the information is unavailable. ______________________________
9. The Decedent was a party in the following legal proceedings: ______________________________
10. Petitioner requests:
Small Estate Administration an Abbreviated Probate standard probate proceedings
11. Petitioner requests the Court:
a. Admit to probate any will exhibited with the petition;
b. Issue an order directing witnesses to an alleged will to appear and give testimony regarding
its execution;
c. Issue an order requiring any person alleged to have custody of a will to deliver it to the
Court;
d. Issue an order directing any interested person to show cause why the provisions of any lost
or destroyed will should not be admitted to probate as expressed in the petition;
e. Make a finding that the decedent died intestate;
f. Appoint a supervised personal representative or an unsupervised personal
representative and, in each case, for the issuance of appropriate letters; and
g. Any other relief that the Court may deem appropriate.
Under penalties of perjury, I declare that I have read the foregoing and the facts alleged are true, to the
best of my/our knowledge and belief.
Date: ________________________ ______________________________
Signature of Petitioner
______________________________
Print Name of Petitioner
______________________________
Address
______________________________
City State Zip
______________________________
(Area Code) Telephone No.
______________________________
Relationship to Decedent
Form Two Order for Small Estate Administration
Superior Court of the District of Columbia
Probate Division
500 Indiana Ave,. N.W., Room 5000
Washington, D.C. 20001
RE: ESTATE OF
_____________________________
CIVIL ACTION No. ______________
ORDER
This case came before the Court upon the Petition for Small Estate Administration, and the Court being fully
advised in the premises, it is ORDERED:
1. That ______________________________ is appointed Personal Representative of the Estate of
______________________________ .
2. That this estate shall be administered under the provisions of D.C. Code §§ 20-351 – 20-357.
3. That the following funeral expenses will be paid immediately as provided in section 20-906:
NONE
CREDITOR NATURE OF OBLIGATION BALANCE
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
4. That the following family allowance be paid immediately: ______________________________ .
5. The sale of the following property is authorized to satisfy funeral expense and/or family
allowance:
a. Personal Property:
NONE
CHARACTER LOCATION ESTMATED VALUE
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
b. Real Property:
NONE
CHARACTER LOCATION ESTMATED
VALUE
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
6. Notice be is or is not given in accordance with D.C Code § 20-704.
ORDERED on the _____ day of _____________, 20 _____.
_____________________________________
SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE
Form Three Notice
Superior Court of the District of Columbia
Probate Division
500 Indiana Ave,. N.W., Room 5000
Washington, D.C. 20001
RE: ESTATE OF
_____________________________
CIVIL ACTION No. ______________
NOTICE
To all persons interested in the estate of _____________________________ .
This is to give notice that the undersigned, _____________________________ whose address is
_____________________________ was, on _____________________________ , __________ appointed
personal representative of the estate of _____________________________ who died on
_____________________________ (with) (without) a will, and that the personal representative will serve in
supervised) (unsupervised) administration.
All persons having any objection to such appointment (or to the probate of the decedent's will) shall file
an objection with the Register of Wills on or before _____________________________ (6 months from the
date of the first publication of notice under this section).
All persons having claims against the decedent shall present their claims to the undersigned or file their
claims with the Register of Wills on or before 6 months from the date of the first publication of this notice.
Any claim not so filed on or before such date shall be unenforceable thereafter.
Any person who is related to the decedent and who does not receive notice of this appointment by mail
within 25 days shall so inform the Register of Wills including such person's name, address, and relationship to
the decedent.
_______________________________________
Personal Representative
Date of first publication: _____________________________
Form Four Affidavit of Publication
Superior Court of the District of Columbia
Probate Division
500 Indiana Ave,. N.W., Room 5000
Washington, D.C. 20001
RE: ESTATE OF
_____________________________
CIVIL ACTION No. ______________
AFFIDAVIT OF PUBLICATION
PERSONALLY APPEARED BEFORE ME, in the county aforesaid, _____________________________ , who
after being duly sworn, does state on his/her oath that the attached newspaper clipping represents publication of
the Notice to Creditors in a newspaper once time during the 30 period prior hereto.
THIS, the ____ day of _________________, 20____.
___________________________________
PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE
DISTRICT of COLUMBIA
This instrument was acknowledged before me on this ______ day of _________________, _______ by
_______________________________________.
________________________________
Notary Public
Print Name: _____________________
My commission expires: _________________
Form Five Verified Statement of Claims
Superior Court of the District of Columbia
Probate Division
500 Indiana Ave,. N.W., Room 5000
Washington, D.C. 20001
RE: ESTATE OF
_____________________________
CIVIL ACTION No. ______________
VERIFIED STATEMENT OF CLAIMS
I, _____________________________ , Personal Representative of the above Estate, hereby submit a verified
statement of claims:
1. Those received prior to the Petition for Small Estate Administration:
CREDITOR NATURE OF OBLIGATION BALANCE
CONTINGENT/DISPUTED
________________________ ________________________ _____________ ________________________
________________________ ________________________ _____________ ________________________
________________________ ________________________ _____________ ________________________
________________________ ________________________ _____________ ________________________
________________________ ________________________ _____________ ________________________
________________________ ________________________ _____________ ________________________
________________________ ________________________ _____________ ________________________
________________________ ________________________ _____________ ________________________
________________________ ________________________ _____________ ________________________
2. Additional Claims received since the Order for Small Estate Administration:
CREDITOR NATURE OF OBLIGATION BALANCE
CONTINGENT/DISPUTED
________________________ ________________________ _____________ ________________________
________________________ ________________________ _____________ ________________________
________________________ ________________________ _____________ ________________________
________________________ ________________________ _____________ ________________________
________________________ ________________________ _____________ ________________________
________________________ ________________________ _____________ ________________________
________________________ ________________________ _____________ ________________________
________________________ ________________________ _____________ ________________________
________________________ ________________________ _____________ ________________________
Date: ________________________ ____________________________
Personal Representative
____________________________
Print Name
Form Six Final Order
Superior Court of the District of Columbia
Probate Division
500 Indiana Ave,. N.W., Room 5000
Washington, D.C. 20001
RE: ESTATE OF
_____________________________
CIVIL ACTION No. ______________
FINAL ORDER
This case came before the Court upon the Petition for Small Estate Administration, and the Court being fully advised in
the premises, it is ORDERED:
1. That _______________________________ the Personal Representative of the Estate of
_______________________________ will immediately pay the following claims of creditors:
CREDITOR NATURE OF OBLIGATION
BALANCE
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
2. The following claims of creditors are DENIED:
CREDITOR NATURE OF OBLIGATION
BALANCE
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
3. The sale of the following property is authorized to satisfy funeral expense and/or family
allowance:
a. Personal Property:
NONE
CHARACTER LOCATION ESTMATED
VALUE
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Real Property:
NONE
CHARACTER LOCATION ESTMATED
VALUE
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
4. The Personal Representative is directed to pay all remaining proper claims and expenses and to
distribute the net estate in accordance with the Will or to the decedent’s heirs.
ORDERED on the _____ day of _____________, 20 _____.
_____________________________________
SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE
