Connecticut: Mortgage Payments and Utilities While an Estate Is in Probate
How mortgage payments and utilities are handled while an estate is in probate in Connecticut Short answer: During probate in Connecticut, the personal representative (executor or administrator) is responsible for protecting estate assets, which typically includes maintaining mortgage payments and utilities while the estate still owns the property. If estate funds are insufficient, the mortgage […]
Read article →Connecticut: How to Decide Which Assets to List on a Small Estate Affidavit
Detailed Answer Short answer: On a Connecticut small estate affidavit, list only the decedent’s personal property that is probate property (assets that pass according to the will or by intestacy) and that you are legally collecting. Do not list assets that already pass outside probate (for example, assets with named beneficiaries, true joint-tenancy property with […]
Read article →Connecticut: How to Open an Estate for a Sibling's House When They Die Without a Will
Detailed Answer Disclaimer: This is educational information only and is not legal advice. For legal advice about your particular situation, contact a Connecticut probate attorney or the local probate court. If your sibling died without a will (intestate) in Connecticut and owned a house in their name alone, you will usually need to open a […]
Read article →Connecticut — Do Survivorship Assets Need to Be Listed on a Probate Inventory?
Detailed Answer This section explains how Connecticut treats assets that pass by right of survivorship (for example, joint bank accounts titled “Joint Tenants with Right of Survivorship” or property held as tenants by the entirety) and whether they belong on a probate inventory. What “right of survivorship” means in Connecticut When an asset is held […]
Read article →Connecticut: How to Find a Missing Parent as Next-of-Kin During Probate
Finding a Missing Parent as Next-of-Kin in Connecticut Probate Short answer: If a parent who should be notified in a Connecticut probate matter cannot be located, the probate court will expect you to perform and document reasonable efforts to find them. If those efforts fail, the court can allow alternative methods of notice (for example, […]
Read article →Connecticut: How to Confirm a Bank Account Is Under the $20,000 Small- Estate Limit
Detailed Answer — How to confirm whether a Connecticut bank account qualifies under the $20,000 small-estate limit Under Connecticut law, a limited small-estate procedure (often called a small-estate affidavit or disposition without formal administration) can let an eligible person collect certain of a decedent’s personal property without opening a full probate estate. The key legal […]
Read article →Connecticut: Using a Small Estate Affidavit to Claim a Deceased Parent’s Bank Account
Can I use a small estate affidavit in Connecticut to claim my father's bank account? Short answer: Possibly — Connecticut provides simplified procedures allowing certain heirs or beneficiaries to collect a deceased person's personal property without formal probate, but whether you can use a small estate affidavit to recover your father’s bank account depends on […]
Read article →Do You Need a Separate Appointment for the Estate? Connecticut Guardianship of Person vs Estate
Understanding Separate Appointments for Person and Estate in Connecticut Guardianship Short answer: In Connecticut, appointment as guardian of the person does not automatically make you the guardian (or conservator) of the estate. The probate court treats personal-care authority and financial authority as separate roles. You must be appointed to each role specifically, although a petitioner […]
Read article →Connecticut: Do I Need to File a Federal Income Return for an Estate with No Distributions?
Detailed Answer Short answer: Under federal tax rules, an estate generally must file Form 1041 (U.S. Income Tax Return for Estates and Trusts) only if the estate has gross income of $600 or more during the tax year or if a beneficiary is a nonresident alien. If the estate received no income (for example, no […]
Read article →Connecticut — How to Transfer Brokerage Account Assets into an Estate Checking Account
Detailed Answer — How to transfer brokerage account assets into an estate checking account under Connecticut law Short answer: Whether and how you can move brokerage assets into an estate checking account depends on how the account is titled and whether a beneficiary or joint owner is named. If the account has a named beneficiary […]
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