New Hampshire Administrator & Executor Bond

Probate Bonds From $100 – Set by the Court

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A New Hampshire executor bond or New Hampshire administrator bond — New Hampshire law calls every estate fiduciary an “administrator” — is required before administration of a decedent's estate can begin, unless waived. Under RSA 553:13, no person may administer an estate until giving bond to the judge with sufficient sureties, in such reasonable sum as the judge approves. Estates of $25,000 or less need only a personal bond without sureties, and several sole-heir situations skip the bond entirely. Premiums start at $100 and are paid from estate funds.

New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire Probate Bond You Need

All three cover a fiduciary who manages estate or trust assets. Since New Hampshire's 2005 probate reform, “administrator” is the statutory term for the estate fiduciary whether named in a will or court-appointed, qualified through the Circuit Court Probate Division with a certificate of appointment. Which bond applies depends on your situation:

Why Does the New Hampshire Probate Division Require a Bond?

Probate in New Hampshire is handled by the Circuit Court Probate Division, with a probate location serving each of the state's 10 counties. When a person dies, someone must be appointed to pay the estate's debts and distribute what remains. That administrator controls assets that belong to other people, and under RSA 553:13 the bond — given to the judge with sufficient sureties, or other security acceptable to the judge — is the safeguard, conditioned on filing the inventory within 90 days, administering according to law, accounting annually until the final account is allowed, paying applicable taxes, and delivering the residue as the court directs.

The statute is generous with off-ramps: estates with a gross value of $25,000 or less require only a personal bond without sureties; the waiver-of-administration situations in RSA 553:32 — sole beneficiary or sole heir administrators (including surviving spouses), all-beneficiary co-administrators, and trust-as-sole-beneficiary cases — skip bond, inventory, and accounting in favor of a simple affidavit; and the judge holds discretion to waive bond, surety, or security requirements entirely. The judge can also require a further bond, or reduce an existing one, at any time. If the administrator causes a loss, valid claims are paid from the bond, and the administrator must reimburse the surety. The bond protects the estate, not the administrator.

How the Judge Sets Your Bond Amount

New Hampshire sets no formula: RSA 553:13 calls for bond in such reasonable sum as the judge shall approve, keyed in practice to the value of the estate coming into the administrator's hands. The Probate Division confirms the figure with your appointment paperwork — wait for it before purchasing, since many New Hampshire estates qualify for a no-surety personal bond or full waiver.

The amount stays flexible: on its own motion, or on motion of the administrator or any beneficially interested person, the judge may require a further bond with sufficient sureties — or reduce the existing bond — at any time during administration. Other security acceptable to the judge may substitute for a surety bond altogether.

Which New Hampshire Court Handles Your Probate

New Hampshire consolidated its former county probate courts into the statewide Circuit Court Probate Division in 2011 — one probate location serves each of the 10 counties, from the 1st Circuit in Lancaster to the 10th in Brentwood. Filings and questions run through the Circuit Court's centralized Information Center at 1-855-212-1234. The directory below lists the probate location serving each county with its courts.nh.gov page and mailing address.

How To Get Your New Hampshire Probate Bond

1. Get appointed and confirm your bond requirement. The Probate Division determines whether RSA 553:32's waiver applies, whether the $25,000 no-surety threshold covers the estate, or whether a surety bond is required — and the judge approves the sum. Wait for that determination 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 administrator's information and the estate details.
4. File your bond and receive your certificate of appointment. We execute the bond with the surety's Power of Attorney attached so you can file it with the Probate Division. The court then issues your certificate of appointment, and you can begin settling the estate.

Bond Details at a Glance

• Bond Name: New Hampshire Executor Bond / New Hampshire Administrator Bond (Probate Bond)
• Also Known As: Fiduciary bond, estate bond
• Bond Amount: Such reasonable sum as the judge approves, keyed to estate value — no statutory formula; adjustable at any time (RSA 553:13)
• Starting Premium: $100 for a $10,000 bond; paid from estate funds
• Obligee: The judge of the Probate Division, conditioned on inventory, lawful administration, accounting, tax payment, and delivery of the residue
• Governing Law: RSA 553:13 (bond, $25,000 no-surety threshold, judicial waiver and adjustment), RSA 553:32 (waiver of administration)
• Waiver: Gross estate $25,000 or less — personal bond, no sureties; sole-beneficiary/sole-heir and all-beneficiary situations under RSA 553:32; judicial discretion to waive entirely
• Court: Circuit Court Probate Division — one location serving each of New Hampshire's 10 counties; statewide line 1-855-212-1234
• Attorney Required: No

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a New Hampshire administrator or executor bond?
A probate bond required under RSA 553:13 before any person may administer a New Hampshire decedent's estate — given to the judge with sufficient sureties in a reasonable sum the judge approves, and conditioned on inventory, lawful administration, accounting, and payment of taxes.

Can the bond be waived?
Often. Estates of $25,000 or less need only a personal bond without sureties; RSA 553:32's waiver of administration covers sole-beneficiary and sole-heir administrators (including surviving spouses) and all-beneficiary co-administrator arrangements; and the judge has discretion to waive bond, surety, or security requirements entirely.

Do administrators need a bond in New Hampshire?
By default, yes — no person may administer an estate until the bond is given. In practice, many estates qualify for the no-surety threshold or a waiver, so confirm your situation with the Probate Division before purchasing.

How much does a New Hampshire probate bond cost?
Premiums start at $100 for a $10,000 bond and scale with the judge-approved sum — $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 judge approves a reasonable sum keyed to the estate's value — New Hampshire has no statutory formula. The figure arrives with your appointment paperwork.

Can the amount change later?
Yes. On its own motion or on motion of the administrator or any beneficially interested person, the judge may require a further bond with sufficient sureties or reduce the existing bond at any time.

Which New Hampshire court handles probate?
The Circuit Court Probate Division — one probate location serves each of the 10 counties, with filings and questions handled through the statewide Information Center at 1-855-212-1234.

What happens if a claim is filed against the bond?
The surety pays valid claims — from mismanagement, fraud, or failure to follow the will or New Hampshire law — up to the bond amount, and the administrator must reimburse the surety in full. The bond protects the estate, not the administrator.

New Hampshire Probate Court Directory

Probate in New Hampshire is handled by the Circuit Court Probate Division, with one location serving each of the state's 10 counties. Find your county below for the division's page and mailing address; the statewide phone line is 1-855-212-1234.

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