In New Jersey, estates valued at $20,000N.J.S.A. 3B:10-3Verified Sep 8, 2026View source or less use the Affidavit of Surviving Spouse or Next of KinN.J.S.A. 3B:10-3Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, a court filing short of full probate. The limit rises to $50,000N.J.S.A. 3B:10-3Verified Sep 8, 2026View source when the surviving spouse is the sole successor. Real property counts toward the limitN.J.S.A. 3B:10-3Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. An estate over the limit does not qualify, and no affidavit is prepared for it.
New Jersey does not require a routine inventory. The personal representative prepares and files one only if the court orders it (typically on a beneficiary’s or creditor’s application) or if the family exemption is being set offN.J.S.A. 3B:16-2, 3B:16-3, 3B:16-6Verified Sep 15, 2026View source.
The personal representative closes an estate informally by making distribution and taking a Refunding Bond and Release from each devisee/distributee, filed with the county surrogate (N.J.S.A. 3B:23-24); the release relieves the personal representative from rendering or settling a court account (N.J.S.A. 3B:17-1), and no court hearing or order is required. A formal alternative is settlement of the final account in the Superior Court, Chancery Division, Probate Part (N.J.S.A. 3B:17-2; R. 4:87), whose judgment discharges the fiduciary (N.J.S.A. 3B:17-8)N.J.S.A. 3B:17-1, 3B:17-2, 3B:17-8, 3B:23-24, 3B:23-25, 3B:23-26; R. 4:87Verified Sep 15, 2026View source.
New Jersey publishes no statewide form, and some county courts publish their ownOcean County Surrogate's Court, Renunciation & ConsentsVerified Sep 23, 2026View source. A signed writing stating the same facts is what the rule requires.
No. New Jersey does not require a settled final account to close on this routeN.J.S.A. 3B:17-1, 3B:17-2, 3B:17-13Verified Sep 15, 2026View source. Most New Jersey estates close without a court accounting: on paying each devise or distributive share the personal representative takes a refunding bond and release from the recipient (N.J.S. 3B:23-24 to 3B:23-27) and files it with the surrogate, and a fiduciary need not render or settle an account at all if it files a release or discharge from each adult, competent beneficiary (N.J.S. 3B:17-1); a formal accounting settled in the Superior Court under Rule 4:87 stays available voluntarily and can be compelled by any interested person (N.J.S. 3B:17-2)N.J.S. 3B:17-1, 3B:17-2, 3B:23-24Verified Jul 11, 2026View source. Each person who received property signs a receiptN.J.S.A. 3B:17-1, 3B:17-2, 3B:17-8, 3B:23-24, 3B:23-25, 3B:23-26; R. 4:87Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, and the signed receipts go with the closing statement.