Vermont Inheritance: Plan an Estate or Settle One

Vermont has not adopted the Uniform Probate Code, has enacted the Uniform Trust Code14A V.S.A. § 101 et seq.Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, and has adopted the Uniform Power of Attorney Act14 V.S.A. §§ 4004, 4005, 4006, 4007, 4009, 4013, 4019, 4020, 4031, 4047, 4051, 4052Verified Sep 20, 2026View source.

Probate of a simple estate in Vermont runs 6 months to 9 months; an average estate takes 9 months to 15 months. The court filing fee is $50 - $3,250 (based on estate value)32 V.S.A. § 1434(a)(1)-(8)Verified Sep 9, 2026View source; attorney fees are reasonable compensation14 V.S.A. § 1065 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 9, 2026View source; executor compensation typically runs 2.2%Estimated from the 16 state statutes that set an executor fee schedule (median and interquartile range at this estate value)Verified Sep 9, 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 9, 2026View source of the estate. On a $500,000 estate the estimated total comes to $24,56114 V.S.A. § 1065 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 9, 2026View source. The personal representative must post a bond14 V.S.A. § 906; 14 V.S.A. §§ 2101-2110Verified Sep 9, 2026View source.

Certified death certificates come from the Vermont Department of Health - Vital Records OfficeVermont Department of Health - Vital Records OfficeVerified Oct 15, 2026View source at $10Vermont Department of Health - Vital Records OfficeVerified Oct 15, 2026View source a copy. Processing time: 5-7 business days for online ordersVermont Department of Health - Vital Records OfficeVerified Oct 15, 2026View source. Once appointed, the personal representative files the estate inventory within 60 days14 V.S.A. §§ 1051-1053Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment and publishes the notice to creditors for 114 V.S.A. §§ 1201-1207Verified Oct 19, 2026View source week.

A surviving spouse left out of the will can elect to take a statutory share instead14 V.S.A. §§ 319, 321, 323Verified Sep 15, 2026View source. Property left to a minor under the Uniform Transfers to Minors Act is released at 21 years14 V.S.A. § 3230Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of age. Vermont taxes income32 V.S.A. § 5822Verified Sep 20, 2026View source at a top rate of 8.75%32 V.S.A. § 5822Verified Sep 20, 2026View source. An heir's capital gains on inherited assets: ordinary income tax at the state's regular rates, after the first $5,000 of gain is excluded32 V.S.A. § 5811(21)(B)(ii) (capital gains exclusion — individuals) and § 5811(28)(B)(ii) (the SAME exclusion, verbatim, for an estate or a trust)Verified Sep 15, 2026View source.