Connecticut Administrator & Executor Bond

Probate Bonds From $100 – Set by the Court

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A Connecticut executor bond or Connecticut administrator bond — in the statutes, simply a probate bond — is required before a Connecticut Probate Court appointment becomes effective, unless the fiduciary is excused. Under C.G.S. § 45a-139, the bond is conditioned on faithful performance and full accounting, in an amount and with security fixed by the probate judge — and under § 45a-303 an administrator of an intestate estate must always be bonded. Premiums start at $100 and are paid from estate funds.

Connecticut Probate Bond Pricing

Premiums are a small percentage of the required bond amount and are paid from estate funds. Sample pricing for qualified applicants:

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Executor, Administrator, or Trustee — Which Connecticut Probate Bond You Need

All three cover a fiduciary who manages estate or trust assets. Connecticut keeps the traditional terms — “executor” for a will-named fiduciary, “administrator” for a court-appointed one, “fiduciary” as the umbrella. Which bond applies — and whether one is required — depends on how you were appointed:

Why Does the Connecticut Probate Court Require a Bond?

Connecticut abolished county government, so probate runs through a statewide system of Probate Courts organized into 54 regional districts covering all 169 towns. When a person dies, someone must be appointed to pay the estate's debts and distribute what remains to the rightful heirs and beneficiaries. That fiduciary controls assets that belong to other people, and under C.G.S. § 45a-139 the probate bond — conditioned on faithfully performing the duties of the trust and administering and accounting for all money and property according to law — is the safeguard: the appointment is effective only when the court accepts the bond.

The rules differ by role: administrators must always be bonded (§ 45a-303), while executors ride on the will's direction unless someone objects or the court finds cause (§ 45a-289). Corporate fiduciaries — banks and trust companies — are exempt under the Probate Court Rules, and probate judges and court staff are barred from acting as sureties (§ 45a-140). Anyone aggrieved by a breach can sue on the bond (§ 45a-144). If the fiduciary causes a loss, valid claims are paid from the bond, and the fiduciary must reimburse the surety. The bond protects the estate, not the fiduciary.

How the Judge Sets Your Bond Amount — and How to Reduce It

There is no statutory formula: under § 45a-139 and Rule 35 of the Probate Court Rules of Procedure, the probate judge fixes the amount and security based on the value of the estate coming into the fiduciary's hands. Where the court requires an executor to post bond over a will's waiver, the statutory minimum is twice the estimated debts, the estimated taxes, or the amount named in the will — whichever is greatest.

Rule 35 also builds in the premium-savers: restricted accounts — estate funds frozen absent court order — may be used in lieu of or to reduce the bond, the amount is adjustable when the estate's value changes, and the court may waive bond for small estates. A substitution mechanism (§ 45a-141) lets a new bond replace the original, releasing the prior surety from future breaches.

Connecticut’s Probate Districts

Connecticut probate is district-based, not county-based: 54 regional Probate Courts (PD-01 through PD-54) cover all 169 towns, each headed by an elected probate judge, under a statewide Probate Court Administrator. Your estate is filed in the district serving the town where the decedent was domiciled. The directory below lists every district with its ctprobate.gov page, phone, and mailing address — find your town's district and you've found your court.

How To Get Your Connecticut Probate Bond

1. Get appointed and receive your bond amount. The probate judge determines whether a bond is required — always for administrators, per the will for executors — and fixes the amount and security under § 45a-139 and Rule 35. Wait for this figure before purchasing.
2. Request your quote. Apply online or call with your court documentation. For most standard estates we can quote from the bond amount alone; larger or more complex estates may involve a review of the will and the applicant's credit.
3. Complete the short application. Provide the fiduciary's information and the estate details.
4. File your bond and your appointment takes effect. We execute the probate bond with the surety's Power of Attorney attached so you can file it with the Probate Court. Your appointment is effective when the court accepts the bond, and you can begin settling the estate.

Bond Details at a Glance

• Bond Name: Connecticut Executor Bond / Connecticut Administrator Bond (Probate Bond)
• Also Known As: Fiduciary bond, estate bond
• Bond Amount: Fixed by the probate judge based on estate value (§ 45a-139, Rule 35); executor bonds ordered over a will's waiver carry a minimum of twice estimated debts, estimated taxes, or the will's named amount, whichever is greatest (§ 45a-289)
• Starting Premium: $100 for a $10,000 bond; paid from estate funds
• Obligee: The Probate Court, conditioned on faithful performance and accounting according to law
• Governing Law: C.G.S. § 45a-139 (probate bond), § 45a-289 (executors), § 45a-303 (administrators), § 45a-141 (substitution), § 45a-144 (actions on the bond); Probate Court Rules, Rule 35
• Waiver: Will's direction excuses an executor's bond absent objection or cause; corporate fiduciaries exempt; restricted accounts may reduce or replace bond; small-estate waivers at the court's discretion
• Court: Probate Courts in 54 regional districts covering all 169 Connecticut towns
• Attorney Required: No

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Connecticut administrator or executor bond?
A probate bond required under C.G.S. § 45a-139 as a condition of a Probate Court appointment — conditioned on faithfully performing the duties of the trust and accounting for all money and property according to law. The appointment is effective only when the court accepts the bond.

Can the bond be waived?
For executors, yes — the court honors a will's direction that no bond be required, absent objection or cause. Administrators must always be bonded under § 45a-303, though restricted accounts can reduce the amount and courts may waive bond for small estates. Corporate fiduciaries are exempt.

Do administrators need a bond in Connecticut?
Yes. Upon granting administration of an intestate estate, the statute says the court shall take a probate bond from the administrator — there is no will to excuse it.

How much does a Connecticut probate bond cost?
Premiums start at $100 for a $10,000 bond and scale with the judge-set amount — $135 at $25,000, $260 at $50,000, $460 at $100,000, and up. The premium is paid from estate funds.

How is the bond amount determined?
The probate judge fixes it based on the estate's value under § 45a-139 and Rule 35. When a court orders an executor bonded despite a will's waiver, the minimum is twice the estimated debts, the estimated taxes, or the amount named in the will — whichever is greatest.

Can the amount be reduced?
Yes. Restricted accounts — estate funds frozen absent court order — may be used in lieu of or to reduce the bond, and the judge adjusts the amount as the estate's value changes.

Which Connecticut court handles probate?
The Probate Court for the district serving the town where the decedent was domiciled — Connecticut's 54 regional probate districts cover all 169 towns, so every town maps to exactly one court.

What happens if a claim is filed against the bond?
Any person aggrieved by a breach may sue on the bond under § 45a-144. The surety pays valid claims up to the bond amount, and the fiduciary must reimburse the surety in full. The bond protects the estate, not the fiduciary.

Connecticut Probate Court Directory

Connecticut probate runs through 54 regional Probate Court districts covering all 169 towns. Find the district serving your town below for the court's website, phone number, and mailing address.

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