Detailed Answer — What to do when a personal representative pays you without showing the math (Connecticut)
Short answer: In Connecticut you can request a clear accounting, demand supporting records, and, if necessary, ask the Probate Court to require the personal representative (PR) to file an account and explain the distribution. Start with a polite written request. If that fails, file a demand or objection in probate. Keep records and act quickly to protect your rights.
Why this matters: A personal representative (also called an executor or administrator) has a duty to manage estate assets, pay valid debts and taxes, and distribute what remains to beneficiaries. Beneficiaries have the right to see how the PR calculated distributions so they can confirm the PR followed the will (or law), paid legitimate expenses, and treated everyone fairly.
1. First steps you should take
- Ask for an explanation in writing. Send a short, polite letter or email asking the PR to explain the calculation and to provide copies of the estate inventory, the final account or interim account, receipts for major disbursements, appraisals, and any fees or expenses deducted from your share.
- Be specific about what you want. Ask for: the estate inventory, a ledger or accounting, invoices or receipts for attorney and executor fees, records of creditor payments, tax payments, and any valuation/appraisal reports.
- Keep a record. Save your communication, dates, and any responses. A written trail helps if you later go to probate court.
2. What Connecticut Probate Court can do
The Probate Court supervises estate administration. If the PR refuses to explain or provide documentation, you can ask the court to require the PR to file an account and respond to your concerns. The court can:
- Order the PR to file an accounting (interim or final).
- Review the accounting and supporting documents.
- Hold hearings where beneficiaries can ask questions and object.
- Order repayment, surcharge (financial penalty) against the PR, or removal of the PR if they breached their duties.
Start by contacting the probate court in the district where the decedent’s estate is being administered. The Connecticut Judicial Branch has general probate information here: https://www.jud.ct.gov/probate/. For general access to Connecticut statutes and probate law, use the Connecticut General Assembly site: https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/.
3. How to demand an accounting and what to expect
Common steps in Connecticut:
- Written demand. If an informal request does not work, send a certified letter to the PR demanding an accounting and copies of supporting records. State a reasonable deadline (for example, 14–30 days).
- File a written request or objection in Probate Court. If the PR ignores the demand, file a motion or petition with the probate court asking the court to compel an accounting, to schedule a hearing, or to resolve disputes. The probate clerk can tell you the local filing procedure and forms.
- Attend a court hearing. At the hearing the PR must produce the account and supporting documents. You can question the PR and argue that fees or expenses were unreasonable or that distributions were incorrect.
- Possible outcomes. The court may require the PR to correct errors, reimburse the estate or beneficiaries, reduce the PR’s fees, or remove the PR for misconduct or breach of duty.
4. Documents you should ask for
When asking for an accounting, request:
- Estate inventory listing all assets and valuations;
- Account ledger showing receipts, disbursements, and distributions;
- All paid bills and invoices (attorney fees, funeral expenses, taxes, creditor claims);
- Appraisals or market valuations for major assets (real estate, business interests, securities);
- Bank statements for estate accounts;
- Copies of filed probate pleadings, petitions, and any court orders.
5. Timing and deadlines — act promptly
Deadlines can vary depending on local rules and the stage of administration. Do not assume you can wait. File your request or objection as soon as you reasonably can to preserve your rights. Contact the probate court clerk for local timelines and filing requirements.
6. When to consider hiring an attorney
Consider hiring a probate attorney if:
- The PR refuses to provide records;
- You suspect mismanagement, fraud, or unreasonable fees;
- The accounting is complex (business ownership, tax issues, many creditors); or
- You need help preparing and filing formal objections or petitions.
An attorney can draft effective demands, represent you at hearings, and help quantify any alleged losses or improper fees.
7. Costs and remedies
Remedies available in probate proceedings may include requiring the PR to re-pay improperly distributed amounts, awarding the estate or beneficiaries fees and costs against the PR, or, in serious cases, removing the PR and seeking damages. The court may order taxation of costs including attorney’s fees against a PR found to have acted improperly.
8. Practical sample language for a written demand
Use clear, professional language. A short example (adapt to your facts):
“Please provide, within 14 days, a full accounting and supporting records explaining how my distribution was calculated, including the estate inventory, receipts or invoices for expenses and fees, appraisals or valuations, bank statements for the estate account, and the ledger showing distributions to beneficiaries.”
9. If you need the Probate Court’s help
Contact the clerk of the probate court handling the estate to learn local forms and filing steps. If you do not know which probate district, paperwork filed in the decedent’s county or the PR should identify the probate location. The Connecticut Judicial Branch probate landing page is: https://www.jud.ct.gov/probate/.
Helpful Hints
- Always start with a polite written request; many disputes resolve without court.
- Send formal demands by certified mail to create a record.
- Keep copies of everything you send or receive.
- Ask for specific documents — general requests are easier to ignore.
- Contact the probate court clerk early to learn filing procedures and timelines.
- If money is small, weigh the cost of legal action versus the likely recovery.
- Consider mediation if relationships matter and facts are disputed.
- Act quickly to preserve your rights; delays can limit remedies.
Disclaimer: This is general information about Connecticut probate practice, not legal advice. I am not a lawyer. For advice about your specific situation, consult a Connecticut probate attorney or contact the probate court where the estate is open.