Everything you need to know about Maine Form AF-102, including helpful tips, fast facts & deadlines, how to fill it out, where to submit it and other related ME probate forms.
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There are all sorts of forms executors, beneficiaries, and probate court clerks have to fill out and correspond with during probate and estate settlement, including affidavits, letters, petitions, summons, orders, and notices.
Small Estate Affidavit For Collection Of Personal Property is a commonly used form within Maine. Here’s an overview of what the form is and means, including a breakdown of the situations when (or why) you may need to use it:
Sometimes it’s tough to find a quick summary— here’s the important details you should know about Small Estate Affidavit For Collection Of Personal Property:
Government forms are not typically updated often, though when they are, it often happens rather quietly. While Atticus works hard to keep this information about Maine’s Form AF-102 - Small Estate Affidavit For Collection Of Personal Property up to date, certain details can change from time-to-time with little or no communication.
Double check that you have both the correct form name and the correct form ID. Some Maine probate forms can look remarkably similar, so it’s best to double, even triple-check that you’re using the right one! Keep in mind that not all States have a standardized Form ID system for their probate forms.
Fill out all relevant fields in Form AF-102, take a break, and then review. Probate and estate settlement processes in ME are long enough to begin with, and making a silly error can push your timeline even farther back. No thank you!
Note: If you don’t currently know all of the answers and are accessing Form AF-102 online, be sure to avoid closing the browser tab and potentially losing all your progress (or use a platform like Atticus to help avoid making mistakes).
Some States and situations require particular forms to be notarized. If you have been instructed to get the document notarized or see it in writing on the document, then make sure to hire a local notary. There are max notary fees in the United States that are defined and set by local law. Take a look at our full guide to notary fees to make sure you aren’t overpaying or getting ripped off.
This is most often the local probate court where the decedent (person who passed away) is domiciled (permanently resides) or the institution involved with this particular form (e.g. a bank). Some offices allow you to submit forms online, other’s don’t, and we while we generally recommend going in-person to expedite the process, sometimes that simply isn’t an option.
It’s also a generally good idea to establish a positive working relationship with any probate clerk (unfortunately there’s enough people & process out there making things more difficult and unnecessarily confusing for them), so a best practice is to simply ask the probate clerk proactively exactly how and where they’d prefer you to submit all forms.
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Different probate forms or processes can require different deadlines or response times for completing the appropriate form.
While some steps in the process are bound to specific deadlines (like petitioning for probate, having to submit an inventory of assets, or filing applicable notices to creditors and beneficiaries), many probate forms or processes are not tied to a specific deadline since the scope of work can vary based on situational factors or requirements involved.
Either way, there are a bunch of practical reasons why personal representatives should work to complete each step as thoroughly and quickly as possible when completing probate in Maine.
If you’re not using Atticus to get specific forms, deadlines, and timelines for Maine probate, then try and stay as organized as possible, pay close attention to the dates mentioned in any correspondence you have with the State’s government officials, call the local Maine probate clerk or court for exact answers regarding Form AF-102, and when in doubt— consult a qualified trust & estates lawyer for that area.
Small Estate Affidavit For Collection Of Personal Property is one of the many probate court forms available for download through Atticus.
It may also be available through some Maine probate court sites, such as . In order to access the latest version, be updated with any revisions, and get full instructions on how to complete each form, check out the Atticus Probate & Estate Settlement software or consider hiring a qualified legal expert locally within Maine.
While Atticus automatically provides the latest forms, be sure to choose the correct version of Form AF-102 - Small Estate Affidavit For Collection Of Personal Property f using any other site or resource in order to avoid having to re-complete the form process and/or make another trip to the Maine probate court office.
Small Estate Affidavit For Collection Of Personal Property is a .pdf, so opening it should be as simple as clicking “View Form” from within the Atticus app or by clicking the appropriate link found on any Maine-provided government platform. Once you’ve opened the form, you should be able to directly edit the form before saving or printing.
What is probate, exactly?
Probate is the government’s way of making sure that when a person dies, the right stuff goes to the right people (including the taxes the government wants).
All of that stuff is collectively known as someone’s “estate”, and it’s the job of the executor or personal representative to fill out all the forms and complete all the required steps to formally dissolve the estate.
To get instant clarity on the entire probate process and get an idea of the steps, timeline, and best practices, read the Atticus Beginner’s Guide to Probate.
Where can I get help with Probate?
The best place? Create an account in Atticus to start getting estate-specific advice.
You may need a lawyer, you may not, and paying for one when you didn’t need it really hurts. Atticus makes sure you make the best decisions (plus you can write it off as an executor expense).
We’ve also created a list of other probate services. Be sure to check it out!
What does a ME executor or personal representative have to do?
An executor is named in someone’s will, and if the deceased didn’t have a will, then the spouse or other close family relative usually steps up to fulfill the role. If no one wants to do it, then a judge will appoint someone.
The executor is responsible for the complete management of the probate process, including major responsibilities such as:
And much more. This process often stretches longer than a year.
For an idea of what separates executors who succeed from those who make this way harder than it should be, visit our article, Executors of an Estate:
What they do & secrets to succeeding.
Here’s the text, verbatim, that is found on Maine Form AF-102 - Small Estate Affidavit For Collection Of Personal Property. You can use this to get an idea of the context of the form and what type of information is needed.
AF-102 (Rev. 04/08/20) Page 1 of 1 STATE OF MAINE Estate of ______________________________________ SMALL ESTATE AFFIDAVIT FOR COLLECTION OF PERSONAL PROPERTY 1 I, _____________________________, residing at ________________________, duly sworn, depose and say: _____________________________, Decedent, formerly of the Town/City of __________________________, County of ____________________, State of Maine, died on _________________________, _______. I claim a legal right to collect personal property and/or any instrument(s) evidencing a debt, obligation, stock or chose in action, including the proceeds of any bank account(s) and/or investment account(s) of the above-named Decedent pursuant to 18-C M.R.S. § 3-1201. The value of the entire estate, wherever located, less liens and encumbrances, does not exceed the amount provided in 18-C M.R.S. § 3-1201, adjusted for inflation as provided in 18-C M.R.S. § 1- 108; thirty (30) days have elapsed since the death of the Decedent; no application or petition for the appointment of a personal representative is pending or has been granted in any jurisdiction; and I am entitled to payment or delivery of the property pursuant to the Maine Probate Code. Dated: _____________________________________ Signature of Affiant STATE OF _________________ COUNTY OF _________________________ ____________________________, the Affiant, personally appeared on this ____ day of _____________________, ______, and made oath that the foregoing is true to the best of Affiant’s knowledge, information and belief and, to the extent it is based upon Affiant’s information and belief, that Affiant believes the same to be true. _________________________ Notary Public/Attorney-at-Law MARP 1 18-C M.R.S. § 3-1201.
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