Probate in Connecticut runs about $29,174CT Probate Court Rules of Procedure, Rule 39 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage; Hayward v. Plant factors); C.G.S. § 45a-294 (will contest expenses only)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source on a $500,000 estate: attorney fees of typically 2.2%Modeled estimate under CT Probate Court Rules of Procedure, Rule 39 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage; Hayward v. Plant factors); C.G.S. § 45a-294 (will contest expenses only): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.5%Modeled estimate under CT Probate Court Rules of Procedure, Rule 39 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage; Hayward v. Plant factors); C.G.S. § 45a-294 (will contest expenses only): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate, plus the court filing fee, executor compensation, publication and any surety bond. The Connecticut probate calculator estimates the cost by estate value.
Connecticut runs supervised probate as the defaultC.G.S. § 45a-341 (inventory) and § 45a-175 with CT Probate Court Rules § 30.19 (final financial report or account required) — administration is court-supervisedVerified Sep 8, 2026View source: the court is involved at every step, with hearings for the executor's appointment, the inventory, the accountings and the final distribution. That procedural overhead drives both the cost and the timeline, and it is why a living trust is popular here: it bypasses the court entirely.
Estate planning attorneys in Connecticut average $388Clio Compare Lawyer Rates, Connecticut: Wills and Estates rate (2025 data)Verified Oct 15, 2026View source an hour for wills and estates work. A flat-fee package runs $1,164Estimate: 3 hours at $388, Clio's Connecticut Wills and Estates rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source to $2,328Estimate: 6 hours at $388, Clio's Connecticut Wills and Estates rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source for a simple individual will and $4,460Estimate: 10 hours at $446, Clio's Connecticut Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source to $6,690Estimate: 15 hours at $446, Clio's Connecticut Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source for a basic revocable trust. An online service prices the same documents in the tens to low hundreds of dollars; the Connecticut will cost calculator sets the two side by side.
In Connecticut, estates with personal property of $40,000C.G.S. § 45a-273Verified Sep 8, 2026View source or less use the Small Estate Affidavit (Affidavit in Lieu of Probate of Will/Administration, PC-212)C.G.S. § 45a-273Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, 30 daysC.G.S. § 45a-273Verified Sep 8, 2026View source after death, a court filing short of full probate. That route is a form rather than a court case, and most families handle it without an attorney. Above the line, formal probate generally benefits from counsel for the procedural work, even when nothing is contested. The Connecticut probate calculator estimates the cost by estate value.
In Connecticut, the situations where counsel is typically worth the cost are: a blended family with children from a prior relationship; a business, rental property or significant investment assets; a dependent with special needs, who needs a special-needs trust to keep benefits; an estate near or above the Connecticut estate taxConn. Gen. Stat. § 12-391Verified Sep 15, 2026View source threshold of $15,000,000Conn. Gen. Stat. § 12-391Verified Sep 15, 2026View source; substantial property in more than one state. Where none of these apply, an online or self-help document is often enough.
Free Connecticut forms for planning an estate or settling one: a will, trust, powers of attorney, TOD deed, and the probate forms an executor files.
Create a revocable living trust to avoid probate, protect privacy, and control asset distribution.
In Connecticut, a will is signed before 2Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-251Verified Oct 18, 2026View source witnesses, and a self-proving affidavit signed with it lets the court admit it without witness testimonyConn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-251Verified Oct 18, 2026View source.
Free calculators and checklists for planning or settling an estate in Connecticut: will and trust costs, probate, executor pay, and inheritance taxes.
Probate on a $500,000 estate in Connecticut costs an estimated $29,174CT Probate Court Rules of Procedure, Rule 39 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage; Hayward v. Plant factors); C.G.S. § 45a-294 (will contest expenses only)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Attorney fees run 2.2%Modeled estimate under CT Probate Court Rules of Procedure, Rule 39 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage; Hayward v. Plant factors); C.G.S. § 45a-294 (will contest expenses only): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.5%Modeled estimate under CT Probate Court Rules of Procedure, Rule 39 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage; Hayward v. Plant factors); C.G.S. § 45a-294 (will contest expenses only): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate under a reasonable-compensation standard.
Settling an estate in Connecticut: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 60 daysC.G.S. § 45a-341 (extendable to 4 months for cause, § 45a-341(b)(2)); Probate Court Rules §§ 30.12, 30.14; Form PC-2407Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 5 monthsC.G.S. §§ 45a-354, 45a-356, 45a-357, 45a-358, 45a-363, 45a-365, 45a-375Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 6 months to 12 months.
Connecticut pays executors reasonable compensationCT Probate Court Rules of Procedure, Rule 39 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, typically 2.2%Estimated from the 16 state statutes that set an executor fee schedule (median and interquartile range at this estate value)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.8%Estimated from the 16 state statutes that set an executor fee schedule (median and interquartile range at this estate value)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate.
In Connecticut, estates with personal property of $40,000C.G.S. § 45a-273Verified Sep 8, 2026View source or less use the Small Estate Affidavit (Affidavit in Lieu of Probate of Will/Administration, PC-212)C.G.S. § 45a-273Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, 30 daysC.G.S. § 45a-273Verified Sep 8, 2026View source after death, a court filing short of full probate.
In Connecticut, the 5 monthsC.G.S. § 45a-356 (formerly § 45-230e) (150 days from appointment of the first fiduciary); § 45a-357(a)-(b) (optional notice, 90-day minimum); § 45a-375(c) (two years from death)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source period after the personal representative's appointment protects a representative who distributes after it; late claims can still reach undistributed assets.
In Connecticut, informal probate is not availableC.G.S. § 45a-286 (hearing required before proving or rejecting a will; no registrar/clerk appointment track)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, so self-filing means a formal court petition rather than a registrar filing.
112 probate firms in Connecticut, by county and firm type.
Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to discuss your situation and verify their current practice areas and availability.
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112 firms
FirmBristol, CT
Bristol elder law firm with a probate team of attorneys and paralegals serving families across Connecticut. Settles estates through probate, including defending a will that is contested, and handles Medicaid planning, special needs trusts, and veterans benefits.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateElder LawSpecial Needs Planningand 4 more
Solo PracticeWallingford, CT
Wallingford practice serving clients in and around the Wallingford area. Helps executors, administrators, trustees, and conservators carry out their duties, and has served hundreds of times as a fiduciary under court orders or trust designations. Also handles will contests, probate appeals, trust disputes, and Title 19 applications.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 7 more
Solo PracticePutnam, CT
Putnam solo practice serving Putnam, Killingly, Thompson, Ashford, Eastford, and Windham. Guides executors through probate and estate administration, including estates left without a will, and represents family members who contest how a will is being probated. Also handles conservatorships, guardianships, and real estate closings.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationConservatorshipand 2 more
Solo PracticeGlastonbury, CT
Estate and probate practice meeting clients by appointment in Glastonbury and West Hartford. Guides families through Connecticut probate administration with an experienced paralegal handling the court paperwork, and does not base probate fees on a percentage of the estate. Attorney Steven Basche also handles will contests and undue-influence claims, and offers Zoom and phone consultations.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationElder Lawand 3 more
Solo PracticeMarlborough, CT
Marlborough solo practice handling probate administration, conservatorships, and Medicaid (Title 19) applications, along with wills, trusts, and special needs trusts. Attorney Bulkovitch is a member of the Connecticut Bar Association Elder Law Executive Committee, and evening and weekend appointments are available.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateElder LawConservatorshipand 5 more
FirmMilford, CT
Milford and Westport firm, founded in 1933, whose Trusts and Estates Practice Group works in local probate courts from Bridgeport and Stamford to New Haven and Waterbury. Helps executors and families through probate court and estate settlement, from asset inventories to court appearances, and handles estate and gift tax planning.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateTax PlanningAsset Protection
FirmTorrington, CT
Mother-daughter firm in Torrington serving the Torrington area and Litchfield County, and the oldest woman-owned law firm in Torrington. Supports executors carrying out their duties in probate, from a simple estate to a more complicated one, and prepares wills, alongside real estate and business work.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateBusiness LawReal Estate
Solo PracticeFairfield, CT
Fairfield and Stamford solo practice serving Fairfield and New Haven counties, with Attorney Brian Kaschel working in the Connecticut Probate Court system since 1996. Guides families through estate administration after a death and represents clients in disputes over a loved one's will, alongside guardianships of minors and disabled adults.
PracticesProbateProbate LitigationGuardianshipFamily LawPersonal Injury
Solo PracticeMiddletown, CT
Middletown solo practice of Attorney Elizabeth Byrne, licensed in Connecticut since 1985 and a long-time NAELA member. Guides family members after a death through short-form probate, formal probate, and trust settlement, from setting up estate and trust accounts to final distribution. Also submits Medicaid applications and prepares Florida documents for clients who winter there.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 3 more
FirmNaugatuck, CT
Naugatuck estate and probate firm of attorneys William P. Burns Jr. and Christine L. Thomas, serving New Haven and Fairfield counties from Waterbury and Cheshire to Southbury and Middlebury. Handles every step of probate and estate administration, and for an executor who lives out of state, explains Connecticut law and handles the local steps.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateAsset Protection
FirmPawcatuck, CT
Pawcatuck trial firm in New London County whose family law practice includes wills, probate administration, and probate litigation. Its reported results include defending an executor against repeated removal attempts and an appeal from a Probate Court ruling on a final account. Charges a consultation fee outside personal injury cases, and welcomes video meetings.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationConservatorshipand 4 more
FirmMiddletown, CT
Middletown firm with a by-appointment office in Mystic, also serving Hartford-area towns from Glastonbury to Windsor. Handles probate and trust administration after a death, either answering an executor's questions or handling the whole process, and advises when beneficiaries disagree or a will is challenged. Most meetings, including initial consultations, can be held over Zoom or Teams.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateSpecial Needs Planningand 5 more
FirmDarien, CT
Darien firm serving Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan, Norwalk, Stamford, Westport, and Wilton, with decades of hearing experience before the probate judges of lower Fairfield County. Represents executors, trustees, conservators, and guardians, including post-death tax planning, and Mark Carta handles challenges against fiduciaries in probate court or the state courts.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 6 more
FirmNew London, CT
New London elder law and trusts and estates firm with a second office in Woodbury, practicing in the New London area since 1986. Represents executors and trustees from the probate application through the final accounting, represents beneficiaries when the fiduciary has another attorney, and litigates contested wills and trusts. The first meeting is a paid one-hour consultation.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 7 more
FirmOld Saybrook, CT
Old Saybrook general practice firm, tracing its roots to 1966, serving Middlesex, New London, Hartford, and New Haven counties along the Connecticut shoreline. Administers probate estates, handles guardianships, conservatorships, and probate appeals, and pursues will and trust contests in probate court for beneficiaries. Offers a free consultation, and staff speak Spanish.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationElder Lawand 8 more
FirmNew Milford, CT
New Milford firm with offices in Litchfield, Danbury, and Ridgefield, whose practice traces to a Civil War-era Litchfield law office. Assists executors, trustees, and other fiduciaries with their duties and probate court procedure, and its probate litigators bring or defend will contests, accounting challenges, probate appeals, and breach of fiduciary duty claims.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 7 more
FirmWest Hartford, CT
Serves Hartford and Fairfield counties from offices in West Hartford, Stamford and Greenwich; founded in 1909. Its Private Clients Group handles probate and estate administration and executor and trustee services, and a separate fiduciary and probate litigation group takes will contests, contested accountings, fiduciary removal proceedings and conservatorship and guardianship proceedings.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 6 more
FirmSouth Windsor, CT
Serves Hartford County from a general practice office on Ellington Road in South Windsor, founded in 1948. Represents fiduciaries settling an estate in probate court and administers trusts, guardianships and conservatorships, alongside wills, trusts and Title 19 Medicaid planning. Offers a free consultation.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 5 more
FirmDerby, CT
General practice firm in Derby, with a second office in Litchfield, serving Derby, Shelton, Ansonia, Milford, Orange, Woodbridge, Fairfield and Bridgeport. Handles estate administration for executors, administrators, conservators and guardians, and probate litigation including will contests, alongside wills, powers of attorney and advance directives.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationConservatorshipand 5 more
FirmEast Haven, CT
Serves New Haven County from a Frontage Road office in East Haven, with attorneys in practice there since 1937. Handles probate administration and estate planning, including wills, living trusts, powers of attorney, guardianships and conservatorships, alongside residential and commercial real estate where an estate holds property.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateConservatorshipGuardianshipand 3 more