How Much Does an Executor Get Paid in Connecticut?

Connecticut law says only that compensation must be reasonable; it names no percentage, so no exact figure exists to look up. The estimate is built from the 16 states whose legislatures set an executor fee schedule: each schedule is applied to an estate of the same size, and the middle half of those results is the range, 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 a $500,000 estate. It is an estimate anchored in what other legislatures decided the same work is worth, not a figure from Connecticut law; the probate court has the final say.

The Connecticut probate statute does not address how co-executors share compensation.Conn. Probate Court Rules of Procedure, Rule 39Verified Oct 23, 2026View source

Connecticut requires a bond of the personal representative by defaultC.G.S. § 45a-289 (bond required); §§ 45a-169, 45a-139 (waiver); Conn. Probate Court Rules § 35.6 (amount), § 35.1(b)(3)(B) (waiver by every heir or beneficiary), § 35.3(a) (corporate surety)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. The requirement can often be excusedC.G.S. § 45a-289 (bond required); §§ 45a-169, 45a-139 (waiver); Conn. Probate Court Rules § 35.6 (amount), § 35.1(b)(3)(B) (waiver by every heir or beneficiary), § 35.3(a) (corporate surety)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, by a waiver in the will, agreement of the heirs, or court order, depending on the state. If the court requires a corporate surety, the premium runs about 0.5%Industry surety premium estimate; the bond itself under C.G.S. § 45a-289 (bond required); §§ 45a-169, 45a-139 (waiver); Conn. Probate Court Rules § 35.6 (amount), § 35.1(b)(3)(B) (waiver by every heir or beneficiary), § 35.3(a) (corporate surety)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of the bonded amount annually; most estates avoid it through a waiver or a surety-free bond. The bond protects beneficiaries against executor misconduct or mismanagement.

Executor fees and attorney fees are separate costs in Connecticut probate: 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, and executor compensation is set separatelyCT Probate Court Rules of Procedure, Rule 39 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Both are paid from the estate before distribution to beneficiaries. Estimate the attorney fee with the Connecticut probate attorney fee calculator.