How Long Does Probate Take in Connecticut?

In Connecticut, the final financial report for an estate is usually filed about 12 months after the death. How long yours takes depends on what's in the estate: whether there's a house or other real property, whether the heirs agree, and how quickly creditor claims resolve.

The short answer

Plan on about a year. The Connecticut Probate Courts' own user guide says the final report or account is filed "usually within 12 months of the decedent's death," and the dates below lead up to it.

That's a general expectation, not a promise. Some estates take longer, and Connecticut has a set step for the ones still open after a year.

At Mancuso Carey, our attorneys handle the filings, deadlines, and court. You can read how we help executors on our Connecticut probate page.

The Connecticut probate clock, step by step

Each date in Connecticut probate counts from one of two starting points: the date of death, or the date the court appoints the executor or administrator.

Within 30 days of the death: the will goes to the court

Connecticut expects the original will to be delivered to the probate court within 30 days after the death. The petition that opens the estate (Form PC-200) has no fixed deadline of its own.

Within 2 months of the appointment: the inventory and the land records

The inventory (Form PC-440) is due two months after the court appoints the executor or administrator. An inventory is the list of what the estate owns. If the estate owns Connecticut real estate, the executor also records a notice on the town land records within the same two months.

About 150 days: the creditor claims period

The court publishes a notice to creditors within about two weeks of the appointment. The creditor claims period runs 150 days from the appointment. When it ends, the executor files a return of claims (Form PC-237) within 60 days.

Within 6 months of the death: the estate tax form

For an estate under the Connecticut estate tax exemption, Form CT-706 NT is filed with the probate court within six months of the death.

Plan on about a year. The dates in between are what set the pace.

About 12 months: the final financial report

When the work is done, the executor files a financial report (Form PC-246) showing what came in, what was paid, and what goes to whom. It is usually filed about 12 months after the death.

If the estate is still open after a year and no report has been filed, the executor files a status update (Form PC-286) three months after the first anniversary of the appointment. Where the court directs it, an affidavit of closing (Form PC-213) follows within 30 days after everything is distributed.

What makes probate take longer

Probate takes longer when the estate includes a house or other real property, when heirs disagree, or when creditor claims are slow to resolve.

The creditor claims period alone runs 150 days from the appointment, so even a simple estate has a built-in wait. A house adds its own steps, covered below.

When it can be simpler

Very small, straightforward estates may qualify for a simplified process using the court's own forms. Once there's real property or the family disagrees, a full administration is the more likely path, and the timeline above applies.

If the estate owns a house

In most cases, an inherited house moves through probate before it can be sold. That puts the sale date in step with the estate's own progress through the dates above.

Where the will grants a power of sale, the court doesn't have to approve the sale, though the house still has to sell for fair market value. Without one, the sale typically needs the court's approval.

A Connecticut estate sale also generates both an estate-tax lien and a probate-fee lien, and both get released and recorded. For more on the sale itself, see our guide to selling an inherited house in Connecticut or our page on selling inherited property.

Mancuso Carey handles real estate closings across Connecticut, so a house in the estate is everyday work for us. Tell us what happened.

Frequently asked questions

What is the first deadline in Connecticut probate?

The original will should reach the probate court within 30 days after the death. The petition that opens the estate (Form PC-200) has no fixed deadline of its own.

Can I speed up probate?

Not much of the calendar is in your hands. The creditor claims period runs 150 days from the appointment, and the parts that vary are the house, whether the heirs agree, and how quickly claims resolve. An attorney can tell you which of those apply to a particular estate.

Is there a tax filing even if no tax is owed?

Yes. For an estate under the Connecticut estate tax exemption, Form CT-706 NT is filed with the probate court within six months of the death.

What happens if probate is still open after a year?

If no financial report has been filed, the executor files a status update (Form PC-286) three months after the first anniversary of the appointment. The estate keeps going until the financial report is filed.

If you've been named executor and want the dates carried for you, reach out through our probate page. This is general information, not legal advice. Every situation is different. Reach out to discuss yours.