What is the purpose of an "affidavit of death"?

An affidavit of death serves the important function of confirming the death of an individual, particularly in the context of probate proceedings. This document is typically created by someone who has knowledge of the death, such as a family member, and is then filed to officially declare that the individual has passed away.

This confirmation is essential in probate law because it initiates the legal process for settling the deceased person's estate. Without this affirmation, beneficiaries and the court may not be able to proceed with addressing the distribution of assets or addressing any other legal matters associated with the decedent’s estate.

While other options refer to different processes in estate management, such as distributing assets, authorizing real estate sales, or appointing guardianship, these functions do not involve the specific action of formally verifying someone's death, which is the critical role of an affidavit of death in probate matters.