What is required for a small estate affidavit to be valid in Maryland?

In Maryland, a small estate affidavit is a legal document that allows certain estates with limited assets to be distributed to heirs without undergoing the formal probate process. For a small estate affidavit to be valid, the total estate must not exceed a specified value, which is currently set at $50,000. This threshold allows families to settle estates more efficiently without incurring the complexities and costs associated with probate court.

The requirement that the estate's value must not exceed $50,000 ensures that only simpler, less contentious estates benefit from this streamlined process. Estates exceeding this limit must go through the regular probate process, which includes formal appraisals and more extensive court oversight.

Other options do not align with the current legal framework: the limit is not $25,000 and does not require formal appraisal or that the estate be entirely in cash, allowing for various types of assets to be included up to the $50,000 limit. Hence, this understanding reinforces why the correct answer is the value threshold of $50,000 for a small estate affidavit to be considered valid in Maryland.