An Affidavit of Heirship (sometimes called an Affidavit of Next of Kin) is a sworn or affirmed written statement in which a person with personal knowledge of a deceased person's family circumstances identifies the heirs, next of kin, and/or beneficiaries entitled to share in the estate of that deceased person. In Australia, it is made under the Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) or the applicable state or territory evidence legislation and must be witnessed by an authorised person such as a Justice of the Peace (JP), solicitor, or barrister.

The Affidavit of Heirship is used in connection with deceased estate administration and probate proceedings. When a person dies, their estate (the assets they owned at the time of death) must be administered by a legal personal representative — either an executor named in a will (if the deceased died testate) or an administrator appointed by the court (if the deceased died intestate, without a valid will). The process of obtaining court authority to administer an estate is called obtaining a grant of probate (for a will) or letters of administration (without a will) from the relevant state or territory Supreme Court.

The Affidavit of Heirship assists courts, financial institutions, government agencies, and other bodies in verifying: the identity of the deceased; the family relationships of the deceased at the time of death; whether the deceased left a valid will; who the beneficiaries or heirs are under the will or under the applicable intestacy legislation; and the nature and approximate value of the estate assets and liabilities.

In Australia, each state and territory has its own succession legislation governing the distribution of a deceased person's estate in the absence of a valid will (intestate succession): the Succession Act 2006 (NSW), the Administration and Probate Act 1958 (Vic), the Succession Act 1981 (Qld), the Administration Act 1903 (WA), the Administration and Probate Act 1919 (SA), the Administration and Probate Act 1935 (Tas), the Administration and Probate Act 1929 (ACT), and the Administration Act 2004 (NT). These Acts set out the order in which the deceased's family members (spouse/de facto partner, children, parents, siblings, and more distant relatives) are entitled to share in the intestate estate.

An Affidavit of Heirship is also used by banks, superannuation funds, and other financial institutions to process claims for payment of funds held in the name of a deceased person. Many financial institutions accept an Affidavit of Heirship as evidence of entitlement for small estate claims without requiring a formal grant of probate.

An Affidavit of Heirship is needed in a wide range of situations involving the estate of a deceased person in Australia.

Probate applications in state and territory Supreme Courts regularly require an Affidavit of Heirship or next of kin affidavit as part of the supporting material filed with the application. The affidavit confirms the family circumstances of the deceased, identifies the beneficiaries, and assists the court in determining that the person applying for probate (or letters of administration) is properly authorised to do so.

Intestate estate administration — where the deceased died without a valid will — requires careful identification of the heirs entitled to share in the estate under the applicable intestacy legislation. The order of priority under all Australian intestacy regimes is typically: surviving spouse or de facto partner, children, grandchildren, parents, siblings, and more distant relatives. An Affidavit of Heirship setting out the family relationships of the deceased and confirming who the heirs are under the applicable Succession Act is essential in these circumstances.

Bank and financial institution claims for the release of funds held in the name of a deceased person frequently require an Affidavit of Heirship, particularly for small estates where the institution does not require a formal grant of probate. Major Australian banks and credit unions have threshold amounts (typically between AUD $25,000 and AUD $50,000) below which they may release funds to identified heirs or the estate's legal personal representative on the basis of a statutory declaration or affidavit alone.

Superannuation death benefit claims are processed by the trustee of the deceased member's superannuation fund. Superannuation benefits do not automatically form part of the deceased's estate and are subject to separate rules under the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 (Cth) and the fund's trust deed. The trustee must identify who are the dependants and legal personal representative of the deceased. An Affidavit of Heirship or statutory declaration of family circumstances assists the trustee in making this determination.

Life insurance claims require the insurer to identify the beneficiary of the policy. Where no beneficiary is named, or where the beneficiary has predeceased the insured, an Affidavit of Heirship may be needed to establish who is entitled to the benefit.

Title transfers and conveyancing in deceased estate transactions require evidence of the entitlement of the executor or administrator to transfer real property. An Affidavit of Heirship may be part of the documentation required by the land titles office and the purchaser's solicitor.

Family provision claims under the relevant state or territory family provision legislation (for example, Part 3.2 of the Succession Act 2006 (NSW) or Part IV of the Administration and Probate Act 1958 (Vic)) may require an Affidavit of Heirship to establish the relationship of the claimant to the deceased and the composition of the estate.

A valid Australian Affidavit of Heirship must contain specific essential elements to be useful in probate applications, estate administration, and claims by heirs against financial institutions and government agencies.

The deponent's identity and relationship to the deceased must be clearly established at the outset. The deponent is typically a close family member (spouse, child, sibling) or a solicitor acting for the estate. The deponent must have sufficient personal knowledge of the deceased's family circumstances to make a reliable statement about heirship.

The deceased's full identifying particulars are essential: full legal name (including any aliases or previous names), date of birth, date of death (as recorded on the death certificate), place of death, and last residential address. These details must match the death certificate and other official records.

The marital and family status of the deceased at the time of death must be disclosed in detail. This includes: the name and date of birth of any surviving spouse or de facto partner; the names and dates of birth of all children (whether or not born within a marriage, and including any children who may have predeceased the deceased); and details of any previous marriages or de facto relationships. The existence of any adopted children, stepchildren, or children born outside of any relationship should also be addressed.

The existence or non-existence of a valid will must be confirmed. If the deceased left a will, the date of the will, the names of the executor(s), and the location of the original will must be stated. If there was no valid will, this should be clearly stated, and the applicable intestacy legislation confirmed.

The heirs and beneficiaries must be identified with sufficient particularity: full name, date of birth (if known), current address, and relationship to the deceased. If a named beneficiary has predeceased the deceased, this should be stated and the beneficiary's own surviving family members (who may inherit in their place under the applicable anti-lapse provisions) identified.

The known assets and liabilities of the estate provide context for the court and assist in determining the appropriate probate process (formal or informal) and the likely distribution to heirs. Assets should be described by type (real property, bank accounts, superannuation, motor vehicles, personal property) with approximate values. All known debts and liabilities must be disclosed.

Annexures should include: a certified copy of the death certificate; a copy of the will (if any); and any other documents supporting the identity of the heirs (marriage certificate, birth certificates). Each annexure must be signed by the witness and identified with the standard annexure marking words.