Overview

The responsibility for administering a decedent’s estate often falls on a family member or friend. When a person who owns property dies, the Probate Court becomes involved in overseeing the division of property among those legally entitled to it. Since many of the estates handled in the Probate Courts deal with complex statutes and tax laws, it is recommended that people seek the advice of an attorney.
Please note that the Court cannot give you legal advice.

All petitions for new estates must be accompanied by:

• Death certificate
• Original will
• A $68.25 check payable to “Hearst Media” for a newspaper notice to creditors, and
• A $60.00 check payable to “Fairfield Town Clerk” (if the decedent owned any solely-owned property in Fairfield)

The fees are subject to change.

The probate fee is billed at the filing of estate tax return and the rates are set by State statutes.

For a Probate Court User Guide for the Administration of Decedents’ Estates click here.

Common forms needed in Decedents’ Estates are:

PC-246 Financial Report / Decedent’s Estate

PC-440 Inventory

PC-200 Petition/Administration or Probate of Will

PC-212 Affidavit in Lieu of Probate of Will

PC-212A Request for Order of Distribution

PC-237 Return of Claims and List of Notified Creditors

PC-242 Decedent’s Estate Administration Account (Short Form)

PC-280 Bond Waiver

PC-284 Acceptance of Trust/Ex-Parte Decree Qualifying Testamentary Trustee

PC-400 Petition to Sell or Mortgage Real Property

PC-480 Probate Bond

PC-482 Appointment of Judge of Probate as Agent for Service by Non-Resident Fiduciary

Connecticut Estate and Gift Tax Forms, including the CT-706, CT-709, and CT-1041