Connecticut Probate Cost: One Statewide Fee Scaled to the Estate
Connecticut charges no flat fee to open an estate. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-107 sets one graduated fee on the value of the estate, identical in all 54 probate districts, and the court invoices it after the estate tax return establishes the values.
A Connecticut estate pays one Probate Court fee, and it is measured on value rather than charged per filing. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-107 runs from a $25 minimum to a $40,000 maximum for a decedent dying on or after July 1, 2016. A $100,000 estate pays $465, a $250,000 estate pays $990, a $500,000 estate pays $1,865 and a $1,000,000 estate pays $3,115. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-105 makes the schedule uniform for all of the probate districts established by law, so no district is cheaper than another and there is no local fee schedule to look up.
Two things surprise Connecticut families. The fee is charged on the GREATEST of four measures of the estate, so survivorship accounts, beneficiary-designated retirement accounts and life insurance raise it even though they never pass through probate, while any portion of the basis passing to the surviving spouse is cut in half. And Connecticut sets no statutory percentage for a fiduciary or an attorney: Probate Court Rules of Procedure rule 39 makes both fees court-approved and reasonable, judged on a nine-factor test, so neither one can be quoted as a percentage of the estate.
Quick Summary
- Probate Court fee
- $25 to $40,000One statewide value scale (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-107)
- Fee on a $250,000 estate
- $990$150 plus 0.35 per cent of the value above $10,000
- Property passing to a spouse
- HalvedFifty per cent reduction on that portion of the basis
- Executor and attorney fees
- ReasonableCourt-approved under Rule 39; no statutory percentage
Connecticut has no county probate court, so there is nothing to compare district by district. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-105 requires the fees charged by Probate Courts to be uniform for all of the probate districts established by law, and the Probate Court Administrator publishes one statewide schedule that all 54 districts apply. The district that hears an estate is the one serving the town where the decedent lived at death. Costs set outside the fee statutes do vary: the surety bond premium, newspaper publication, appraisals, and recording a certificate of devise or descent with the TOWN clerk, which is a separate office from the Probate Court. Confirm the invoice with the Probate Court for the decedent’s district before relying on a single number.
Typical Total Cost Ranges
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| Procedure | Estate Size | Court Fee | Timeline | Attorney? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Affidavit in Lieu of Probate of Will/Administration | Solely owned tangible and intangible personal property of $40,000 or less, excluding property that passes outside probate by operation of law, and no solely owned Connecticut real property (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-273) | No separate small-estate fee. The § 45a-107 value scale applies, from a $25 minimum up to $255 at the ceiling | About 1 to 3 months, including the 30-day hold while the Department of Administrative Services is notified | No | Small estates of accounts, a vehicle and household goods, with no house in the decedent’s sole name |
| Full Administration | No dollar cap. The route for any estate with solely owned Connecticut real property or more than $40,000 of solely owned personal property (Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 45a-283, 45a-286, 45a-303) | $150 minimum where a full estate is opened, then $150 plus 0.35 per cent of the value above $10,000 to $500,000, $1,865 plus 0.25 per cent above $500,000, $5,615 plus 0.5 per cent above $2,000,000, capped at $40,000 | About 8 to 14 months, including the 150-day creditor-claim period | No statutory requirement; counsel is common where there is real estate or a disagreement | Any estate with a house, a larger portfolio, or a need for court-issued fiduciary authority |
| Ancillary Administration | A nonresident decedent who owned Connecticut real property or tangible personal property (Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 45a-287 and 45a-288) | The § 45a-107 value scale, measured on the Connecticut property alone under § 45a-107(b)(6) | About 6 to 12 months, running alongside the home-state proceeding | Counsel is usual | Out-of-state decedents whose Connecticut house or land has to be transferred |
| Matters Other Than a Decedent’s Estate | Conservatorships, guardianships, trusts, powers of attorney and commitments (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-106a) | $250 for most petitions, plus $150 for a few named filings, $300 for a decanting petition and $100 for a foreign subpoena | Set by the matter, not by an estate settlement | Varies by matter | Context only. This is the fee people mistake for the cost of opening an estate, and by its own terms it never reaches one |
Additional Costs to Expect
Probate Court Fee on the Estate
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-107 charges one graduated fee covering all proceedings in the settlement of the estate, including the estate tax proceeding. The brackets for a death on or after July 1, 2016 are $25 up to $500; $50 from $501 to $1,000; $50 plus 1 per cent of the excess over $1,000 up to $10,000; $150 plus 0.35 per cent of the excess over $10,000 up to $500,000; $1,865 plus 0.25 per cent of the excess over $500,000 up to $2,000,000; $5,615 plus 0.5 per cent of the excess over $2,000,000 up to $8,877,000; and a flat $40,000 above that. The basis is the greatest of the inventory, the gross estate for succession or estate tax purposes, or the Connecticut taxable estate, plus net wrongful-death damages, so it reaches assets that never pass through probate. Any portion of the basis determined by property passing to the surviving spouse is reduced by fifty per cent.
Interest on an Unpaid Fee, and the Lien
Under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-107(m) unpaid fees bear interest at one-half of one per cent per month beginning 30 days after the court’s invoice, or 30 days after a Connecticut estate tax return was due if the return was filed late. No interest runs where the basis is $40,000 or less, or where the basis is $500,000 or less and any part of the property passes to a surviving spouse. The court may extend the time for payment for undue hardship and no interest accrues during the extension, but it may not waive interest outside one. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-107b makes the fee a lien in favor of the State of Connecticut on any Connecticut real property included in the basis, which is why a closing after a death asks for a certificate releasing liens on form PC-205B.
Executor or Administrator Compensation
Connecticut publishes no fee table for a fiduciary anywhere in Title 45a. Probate Court Rules of Procedure rule 39.1 lets a fiduciary ask the court to approve a proposed fee arrangement before the work is done, or a proposed fee for work already done, and any fee not approved in advance is reviewed with the account covering the period in which it was paid. The court decides whether the fee is reasonable whether or not anyone objects. Rule 39.2 requires a task statement addressing nine factors drawn from Hayward v. Plant, 98 Conn. 374 (1923): the size of the estate, the responsibilities involved, the character of the work, special problems and difficulties, the results achieved, the knowledge and judgment required, the promptness with which the matter was handled, the time and labor required, and other relevant circumstances. Family members often serve for little or nothing.
Attorney Fees
Connecticut sets no statutory attorney-fee schedule for probate. Fees are agreed with the client and are reviewed by the Probate Court for reasonableness under Probate Court Rules of Procedure rules 39.1 and 39.2, which require the engagement letter and a task statement addressing nine factors. The hourly and flat ranges here are market estimates rather than statutory or court-published figures, and they run higher in the southwestern part of the state. Separately, Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-294 requires the Probate Court to allow an executor the just and reasonable expenses of defending the will, whether or not the will is admitted, and of supporting or defending it on appeal.
Probate Bond
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-303(d) has the court take a probate bond from the administrator on granting any administration in an intestate estate. Where a will names an executor and directs no bond, or a bond of a stated amount, the court follows the will unless an objection is filed or it finds for cause that a bond is needed to protect creditors or assure payment of taxes, in which case Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-289 fixes a floor. The premium is set by the surety company, not by statute, and the percentage here is a market estimate.
Copies, Recording and Notices at the Court
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-109 charges these on top of the basic fee. A certified copy is $5 for the first two pages and $2 for each page after the second, which is the charge for the fiduciary certificate a bank or transfer agent asks for. An uncertified copy is $5 for up to five pages and $1 for each additional page, and the fiduciary gets one free uncertified copy of each decree or order. Recording costs $3 for each page after the first five pages of a document. Newspaper publication, certified mailing and service of process are billed at the actual expense the court incurs, so no fixed figure exists for them.
Certified Death Certificates and Town Clerk Recording
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 7-74(b)(1) sets a certified copy of a Connecticut death certificate at $20, and the amount is the same from the town of occurrence, the town of residence or the State Vital Records Office. One copy is free for the spouse, child or parent of a deceased veteran. Recording a certificate of devise, descent or distribution goes to the TOWN clerk under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 7-34a: $10 for the first page and $5 for each additional page, plus a $10 historic documents fee and a $40 community investment fee on each land record, so a one-page document costs about $60.
Appraisals and Other Estate Costs
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-346 says there shall be no court-appointed appraisers of any decedent’s property, so an appraisal is always a private engagement the fiduciary arranges and prices, and the range here is a market estimate. The inventory on form PC-2407 is due within two months of qualification and is appraised by the fiduciary at fair market value. Plan separately for real estate work, tax preparation, and any hearing that gets adjourned, which carries a $50 charge under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-107(g) plus the actual expense of rescheduling.
One more cost source to check: if the person who died received Medicaid long-term care benefits, the state may file a recovery claim against the estate. The Connecticut Medicaid estate recovery guide explains when that applies.