Connecticut Probate Court forms

When learning about the Connecticut Probate process you’ll likely come across the Connecticut Probate Court website and a list of Connecticut Probate Court Forms - many people often ask “which forms do I need to use?“ Working with our attorneys, you won’t have to worry about selecting the right forms or meeting required deadlines. We’ll do it all for you.

We understand that many people enjoy our full-service help but may still want to have a general understanding of what forms will be submitted to the Probate Court, so, we’ve put together a short summary. The Connecticut Probate Court requires that most of the information about a decedent’s estate be filed by using certain forms. Although the website provides a comprehensive list of all Connecticut Probate Court forms for estates, conservatorship, guardianships, etc., only certain forms are used for a decedent’s estate.

Here are some things to know about a few of the commonly used Connecticut Probate Court forms for decedent’s estates:

PC 180 Second Sheet: may be used with any other Connecticut Probate Court form when additional space is required (i.e. if you have a long explanation or need to write additional information that cannot fit on another Probate Court form).

PC 203 Petition/Access to Safe Deposit Box to Obtain Will/Cemetery Deed: may be used by the decedent’s spouse, next of kin or other person related to the decedent or estate in some way to ask the Probate Court for permission to open a safe deposit box to obtain an original will. This form is helpful if the original will cannot be found in the decedent’s residence or at an attorney’s office. This form asks for permission to open a solely owned safe deposit box solely for the purpose of trying to find the original will.

PC 200 Petition/Administration or Probate of Will: used to petition the Probate Court to “open” the probate estate. If the decedent was a Connecticut resident PC 200 should be filed in the town/city in which the decedent resided at the time of death. Before filing this form, remember to contact the Probate Court to ask when and how they want payment for the eventual newspaper notice of publication. When filing this form, it is important to remember to submit:

1. a copy of the decedent’s death certificate (with the social security number redacted)

2. The original will and any codicils (amendments to the original will)

3. copies of this form and the will and any codicils to each beneficiary named in the will and each heir at law

If you cannot find all of the names and addresses of all beneficiaries and/or heirs at law there are services and/or attorneys that can assist you.

PC 440 Inventory: used to inform the Probate Court of all of the probate assets that the decedent owned at the time of death. Remember, probate assets are assets that were solely owned by the decedent and do not have a designated beneficiary. This form has a filing deadline: this form must be filed by the Executor/Administrator within two (2) months from the date the Executor/Administrator was appointed.

PC 237 Return of Claims and List of Notified Creditors: used to provide the Probate Court with an organized list of the names of any creditors of the estate, the nature of their claim (i.e. their interest in the estate), the total amount they requested, how the Executor either paid the claim in full or in part, if in part, the amount that was not paid, and the amount that the Executor/Administrator agrees is owed to the claimant. This form must be filed. A creditor claim is a debt that was incurred by the decent during his/her lifetime but remains unpaid at the time of the decedent’s death. A creditor claim is different from an expense of the estate, which is incurred after the decedent’s death. This form has a filing deadline: this form must be filed within 60 days of the expiration of the 150-day claims period.

PC 400 Petition to Sell or Mortgage Real Property: if a decedent died without a will, or with a will that does not grant the Executor express permission to sell real estate, this form must be submitted to the Probate Court to request the Judge’s permission to sell real estate before real estate may be sold. For most decedent’s estates, this form is used for the sale of real property, however, as the title indicates, it may also be used to request permission to mortgage real property. When submitting this form, be sure to include:

1. A copy of the purchase and sale agreement (contract to sell the property)

2. A copy of the Deed that includes the property description (if it hasn’t already been provided to the Probate Court)

3. Evidence of fair market value of the real estate to support the sales prices and terms of sale

PC 246 Financial Report Decedent’s Estate: used by the Executor/Administrator to report to the Probate Court information about what happened with the financial assets of the estate. Here is a quick summary:

1. Assets and Income received: think of this section as a report of the income and assets the estate “started” with, as well as a report of income and assets the estate acquired while the estate was opened.

2. Additional assets and income received: this informs the Probate Court about additional assets that were received by the estate while the estate was opened (i.e. any income, refund checks, etc.). Additionally, the Executor/Administrator lists any cash that was loaned to the estate to pay expenses, and whether or not that loan must be returned.

3. Expenses: this is a list of all expenses associated with managing the estate. Additionally, taxes paid are listed.

4. Distributions: these are distributions of assets that have already been given to a beneficiary or heir at law.

5. Proposed distributions: these are distributions of assets that will eventually be made to a beneficiary or heir at law.

6. Reserves: any assets that the Executor/Administrator is going to “hold on to” just in case future expenses arise (i.e. paying an accountant fee for a future tax preparation and filing).

7. Remember to use PC 180 if additional space is needed to provide more information.

PC 213 Affidavit of Closing: should be filed with the Probate Court no later than thirty (30) days after the Executor/Administrator distributes all of the assets in the estate. This form informs the Probate Court that all of the estate assets have been properly distributed to heirs at law or beneficiaries, there are no more assets in the estate, and the Probate Court can close the estate file.

Please note that the above does not provide a comprehensive list of all forms that may be required to complete in a decedent’s estate administration process. Each Connecticut Probate Court can be helpful in providing you with forms that must be filed, but, cannot provide legal advice on how to complete the form(s). The exact forms that must be filed depend on the individual circumstances and unique factors of the decedent’s estate. It is also important to note that certain forms have strict timelines by which they must be filed with the Probate Court.

*Disclaimer: the information on this page is intended to provide general educational information about the Connecticut Probate Court forms and is not intended as legal advice. You should consult with a probate attorney before relying on any of this information and seek advice specific to your circumstances. Reading this information or submitting an email does not create an attorney/client relationship.

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