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What to Do When Someone Dies in Connecticut

Step-by-step guide for the first days and weeks after a death in Connecticut. It walks through the urgent tasks, the paperwork the Probate Court expects, and the decisions that come next under Title 45a of the Connecticut General Statutes, Probate Courts and Procedure.

Get Death Certificates

Connecticut has no county probate court. Probate is heard by the 54 Probate Districts created by Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-2, each serving one or more of the state's 169 towns, and you file in the district that serves the town where the person lived. Fees are statutory and identical statewide, so they do not change from district to district.

Sources

If You Are the Named Executor in Connecticut

If you are the named executor, personal representative, or the family member organizing a Connecticut estate, start with the records and court tasks below at a steady pace. Each step links to its full instructions in the timeline.

  1. Find the Original Will and Note Who Is Holding It

    Statute: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-282

  2. Order Certified Death Certificates

    Statute: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 7-74(b)(1)

    Connecticut death certificates guide →

  3. If There Is a Will, the Named Executor Files Within 30 Days

    Statute: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-283

    Connecticut courts guide →

  4. Notify the Social Security Administration
  5. Work Out Whether You Need Full Probate At All

    Statute: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-273

    Connecticut probate guide guide →

We are sorry for your loss. Take the time you need, and let people help. Almost nothing here has to happen today, and this guide will still be here when you are ready.

Timeline of Tasks

Start with the immediate tasks. Open each later phase as you reach it.

First 24 to 48 Hours

Get an Official Pronouncement of Death
A medical professional has to pronounce the death before anything else can move.
Call a Funeral Home
The funeral home moves the body and files the death record with the town registrar.
Tell Close Family and Friends
Reach the people who need to hear it from you.
Find the Original Will and Note Who Is Holding It
Connecticut puts a criminal penalty on a custodian who sits on the will.

First Week

Order Certified Death Certificates
Almost every institution wants its own certified copy, and Connecticut sells them at one statutory price.
If There Is a Will, the Named Executor Files Within 30 Days
Connecticut gives the person named as executor a hard 30-day duty, and it is easy to miss.
Secure the Home, the Car, and the Mail
Protect the property before anything walks out the door.
Notify the Social Security Administration
Report the death so benefit payments stop.
Plan the Service
Make the arrangements that fit the family and the budget.

First Month

Work Out Whether You Need Full Probate At All
Connecticut has one small-estate route, and one question decides whether you qualify.
File the Petition With the Probate Court for Your District
Open the estate and get appointed.
Expect a Hearing on the Will, Not a Paper Approval
Connecticut has no informal probate track. A hearing is the default.
Deal With the Bond Before You Act
In Connecticut a bond is the default, and your appointment is not effective until the court accepts it.
Record the Notice for Land Records Within Two Months
If the person owned Connecticut real property, this filing is on you and it carries a penalty.
Open an Estate Account and Notify the Financial Institutions
Get the money into one account you control as fiduciary.
File the Life Insurance and Retirement Claims
These pay directly to the named beneficiary, outside probate.
Ask About the Family Support Allowance
Connecticut's family protection is a discretionary allowance, not a fixed dollar exemption.

Months Two Through Twelve, and Closing

File the Inventory Within Two Months of Qualifying
List everything the person owned at death, at fair market value on the date of death.
Track the 150-Day Creditor Clock
Connecticut runs its claim period from the APPOINTMENT of the first fiduciary, not from death and not from publication.
Handle the State Claim if Medicaid Paid Benefits
The Department of Administrative Services, not the Department of Social Services, files the claim in Probate Court.
Watch the Surviving Spouse's 150-Day Election
Connecticut's statutory share is a life estate, and the clock runs from the mailing of the decree.
File the Tax Returns
Every Connecticut estate reckons with an estate tax return, but only large ones file with the tax department.
Clear the Liens Before Selling Real Estate
Two different Connecticut liens can stop a closing, and they are released by different offices.
Transfer the Vehicle
Connecticut has a vehicle beneficiary designation, and its 60-day clock is unforgiving.
Distribute, Record the Real Property Transfer, Then Close
A Connecticut estate closes on an account or a financial report, after a hearing unless everyone waives it.
Close Out the Rest of the Paperwork
The small cancellations that stop money leaking.

Who to Notify

Social Security Administration
Call 1-800-772-1213
Employer / HR Department
Phone call or email
Banks & Credit Unions
Visit branch with death certificate
Insurance Companies
Call policy customer service
Credit Card Companies
Call number on card
Utility Companies
Call to transfer or cancel
DMV / Vehicle Registration
Visit in person or online
Post Office
Submit change of address form

Documents to Gather

Death Certificates

Many estates start with 10-15 certified copies because banks, insurers, property-transfer contacts, and agencies may ask for them.

How to get death certificates →

Will & Trust Documents

Look in safe deposit boxes, home safes, attorney files, and records folders.

Probate guide →

Financial Statements

Bank statements, investment accounts, retirement accounts, and recent tax returns.

Asset transfer guide →

There is no rush on this. When you are ready, a short assessment can help you see whether probate is needed.

What Comes Next?

After the first 30 days, you may need to start probate or transfer assets. The Connecticut probate guide walks through what usually comes next.

Read the Connecticut Probate Guide

More Connecticut Resources

Explore the rest of the Connecticut probate hub.

Do I need probate?4 pages
Costs and money5 pages
File for probate2 pages
Transfer assets4 pages
Learn and reference5 pages