Essex Junction firm on Pearl Street in Chittenden County. Represents executors, administrators, trustees and beneficiaries in estate and trust administration, from probate petitions, estate tax returns and accountings to trust and probate litigation, and handles adult and minor guardianship. Most estate planning work is billed on a flat fee.
Burlington is in Chittenden County.
More Asset Protection Firms in Chittenden County
Essex Junction estate planning and elder law firm handling trust administration for clients throughout Vermont, from Burlington to St. Johnsbury and Newport. After a death it guides successor trustees through transferring trust assets, and it prepares long-term care Medicaid applications and special needs plans. Ellen LaPlante is licensed in Vermont and New York.
Probate in Chittenden County
Probate Court Record
Chittenden County Superior Court - Probate Division
Chittenden County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Office
175 Main Street, Burlington, VT 05401
Website
E-filing
Filing in person
Walk-ins accepted
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
How to file probate in Chittenden County →
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Do I need a lawyer for probate in Chittenden County? →Settling an estate in Chittenden County →
Forms for Planning Your Estate in Vermont
Free forms for planning your estate in Vermont: will, living trust, pour-over will, powers of attorney and TOD deed. Prepare each form for Vermont.
$12/month
Revocable Living Trust
Create a revocable living trust to avoid probate, protect privacy, and control asset distribution.
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Free
Pour-Over Will
In Vermont, a pour-over will is signed before 214 V.S.A. § 5Verified Oct 19, 2026View source witnesses and moves anything left outside the trust into it through probate.
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Free
Transfer on Death Deed
Transfer real property to a beneficiary upon your death without probate. Available in 34 states and the District of Columbia.
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Free
Last Will and Testament
In Vermont, a will is signed before 214 V.S.A. § 5Verified Oct 19, 2026View source witnesses, and a self-proving affidavit signed with it lets the court admit it without witness testimony14 V.S.A. § 5Verified Oct 19, 2026View source.
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Tools for Planning Your Estate in Vermont
Free tools for planning your estate in Vermont: will and trust costs, trust or TOD deed, and the signing rules. Run each tool for Vermont and read its answer.
Trust or Will: Which Costs Less?
In Vermont, a will-based plan pays probate attorney fees of typically 1.7%Modeled estimate under 14 V.S.A. § 1065 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 9, 2026View source to 2.7%Modeled estimate under 14 V.S.A. § 1065 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 9, 2026View source of the estate; a funded revocable trust keeps those assets out of probate and off that fee.
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How Much Does a Revocable Living Trust Cost?
An attorney-prepared revocable living trust in Vermont runs $2,400Estimate: 10 hours at $240, Clio's Vermont Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source to $3,600Estimate: 15 hours at $240, Clio's Vermont Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source for an individual, against $0 to $549 up front plus a subscription with an online service.
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Do I Need a TOD Deed?
Vermont does not authorize transfer on death deeds; sole-name real property goes through probate, at least 6 months for a simple estate, unless held in a trust or with a right of survivorship.
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Are My Beneficiary Designations Protected?
Vermont does not revoke an ex-spouse as beneficiary at divorce14 V.S.A. § 320Verified Sep 15, 2026View source; employer plans under ERISA follow federal rules either way, so a 401(k) beneficiary changes only by a new designation.
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