Picture this: You die in Connecticut. You lived in Greenwich or Westport or one of those towns with median home prices that make people in other states check the math twice. Your estate — between the house, the investment accounts, and whatever else you accumulated during your years of doing very well, thank you — is substantial. And now the state of Connecticut, which has maintained a state estate tax while most other states dropped theirs, is going to take its parting gift.
But that’s almost secondary. Before Connecticut takes its estate tax cut (if applicable), your estate also has to navigate the Connecticut Probate Court system — which is charmingly organized by town rather than county, because Connecticut is nothing if not particular — and distribute your assets according to rules you never agreed to because you never wrote a will.
Connecticut is one of the most estate-tax-aggressive states remaining in the country. Dying without a plan here costs you in ways that dying without a plan in, say, Nebraska, simply doesn’t.
Here’s exactly what you’re in for.
Connecticut’s Intestate Succession Law
Connecticut intestacy is governed by Connecticut General Statutes § 45a-437 et seq. The formula is relatively straightforward but produces outcomes that can surprise families — especially in a state where estates frequently include significant assets.
If You’re Married With Children
Connecticut gives your surviving spouse the first $100,000 of your estate plus one-half of the remainder. Your children inherit the other half equally.
On a $1,000,000 estate: Your spouse gets $100,000 + $450,000 = $550,000. Your children split $450,000. That’s not catastrophic, but it’s not necessarily what you wanted — especially if your children are minors who can’t actually manage a $150,000 inheritance each, and whose share will need court supervision until they reach adulthood.
If you have a blended family situation — some kids are yours from a prior relationship, some are your current spouse’s biological kids — the same formula applies. All your children share the non-spousal portion equally, regardless of which marriage they came from.
If You’re Married With No Children
Your spouse inherits your entire estate. Clean, simple, no court battles over proportions.
If You’re Not Married and Have No Children
Connecticut goes up the family tree: parents first (equally split if both alive), then siblings, then siblings’ descendants (nieces and nephews by representation), then more distant relatives. If Connecticut can’t find an heir, your estate escheats to the state.
The Blended Family Situation
Same problem as every state’s intestacy law: the statute doesn’t know or care about the emotional reality of your family. It knows biology and legal adoption. Stepchildren who aren’t legally adopted get nothing. Your kids from marriage one share equally with your kids from marriage two. Nobody’s special relationship with you matters — only the legal relationship does.
What Probate Looks Like in Connecticut
Connecticut’s probate system is unusual: it’s organized by town or district, not county. There are roughly 54 probate districts in Connecticut — each with its own Probate Court — serving clusters of towns. When you die, probate happens in the district where you were domiciled.
This town-based system is quirky by national standards but actually makes Connecticut probate relatively accessible. You’re not dealing with a huge county courthouse buried in a city — you’re typically dealing with a more local, smaller court that may be less crowded.
Timeline: Connecticut probate typically runs 12 to 18 months for average estates. More complex estates — those with business interests, multiple real properties, or taxable estates — take longer.
Costs: Connecticut probate fees are set by statute based on the size of the estate. The probate court fee schedule is progressive — larger estates pay more. Attorney fees are additional and negotiated. On a $500,000 estate, total probate costs (court fees plus attorney fees) commonly run $10,000–$25,000.
Creditor Window: Creditors have a specified period to file claims after being notified. The estate can’t be fully distributed until this window closes.
The Probate Court Structure: Connecticut’s Probate Courts have judges elected to four-year terms. The court actively supervises estate administration, which provides oversight but also adds formality and time to the process.
Connecticut-Specific Quirks
The State Estate Tax — Yes, It’s Still There
Connecticut is one of the few remaining states with a state-level estate tax. In 2026, the Connecticut estate tax applies to estates over $13.61 million (indexed to the federal exemption). The rate ranges from 10.8% to 12% on the taxable amount above the threshold.
If your estate isn’t over $13.61 million, the Connecticut estate tax doesn’t hit you. But if you’re a long-time homeowner in Fairfield County, have significant investment accounts, and perhaps some life insurance, you might be closer to that threshold than you think. And dying without an estate plan means you’ve done nothing to minimize the exposure.
The Connecticut Gift Tax: Connecticut is also one of very few states with a gift tax. Lifetime taxable gifts count toward the estate tax calculation. This is relevant for any estate planning strategies involving gifting.
Statutory Probate Fees
Unlike many states where attorney fees in probate are purely negotiated, Connecticut’s probate court fees are set by statute based on a percentage of the estate. These fees are paid to the court, not the attorney. Attorney fees are separate. On a large Connecticut estate, the statutory court fees alone can be substantial.
Accessible Probate (Relatively Speaking)
Connecticut’s local probate court system is more accessible than large county court systems in other states. Courts are smaller, judges are more involved, and the process can be less intimidating. This doesn’t make probate fast or cheap — but it does make it less overwhelming than some alternatives.
No Connecticut Inheritance Tax
Despite having an estate tax, Connecticut does not have an inheritance tax. Beneficiaries don’t owe state tax on what they receive. The estate tax is paid by the estate before distribution, not by the recipients after.
Surviving Spouse’s Rights in Real Property
Connecticut law gives surviving spouses certain protections in real property, including rights that may affect how jointly held or individually owned property passes. If you and your spouse own real property together, the form of ownership (joint tenancy vs. tenancy in common) matters significantly for what happens at death.
How to Avoid This Mess
Connecticut’s intestacy law carves up your estate by statute. Your spouse gets a portion; your kids get a portion; nobody gets what you actually planned. If your estate is large, the state estate tax takes its piece on top of everything else. The local probate court — quaint as the system is — still takes months and costs money.
And if you’re in Connecticut’s upper-income bracket, dying without a plan is genuinely expensive. The difference between a properly structured estate plan and dying intestate can be hundreds of thousands of dollars in avoidable costs and taxes for large estates.
For most Connecticut residents, the starting point is simple: write a will.
Killswitch does exactly that for $69. Legally valid in all 50 states, including Connecticut. You decide who gets what. You specify whether your spouse inherits everything or whether you want to leave specific assets to specific people. You ensure your kids from a prior relationship are (or aren’t) included in the way you choose.
The estate tax planning for very large estates may require an attorney. But the will — the foundational document that controls what happens to everything you own — starts at $69.
Make your will at Killswitch →
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does Connecticut still have an estate tax in 2026?
Yes. Connecticut has a state estate tax on estates over approximately $13.61 million (indexed to the federal exemption). The rate is 10.8% to 12% on the taxable amount above the threshold. Connecticut also has a gift tax that counts lifetime taxable gifts toward the estate tax calculation. Most Connecticut residents won’t hit this threshold, but if you have significant real estate, investments, and life insurance, it’s worth knowing where you stand.
Q: If I die without a will in Connecticut with a spouse and kids, does my spouse get everything?
No. Connecticut gives your spouse the first $100,000 plus half of the remainder. Your children share the other half equally. For large estates, this can leave your spouse with less than you’d have chosen. For small estates, the spouse’s share is most of the estate. A will lets you control this outcome instead of letting the statute decide.
Q: How is Connecticut probate different from other states?
Connecticut organizes its probate courts by town/district rather than county — there are about 54 probate districts across the state. Court fees are set by statute based on estate size. The system is more local and accessible than many large county courts. That said, probate is still time-consuming (12–18 months typical) and the statutory fees plus attorney fees add up, especially for larger estates.
Q: Can I avoid Connecticut probate for my estate?
Some assets bypass probate automatically: jointly owned property with right of survivorship passes directly to the co-owner; life insurance and retirement accounts with named beneficiaries pass directly to those beneficiaries; payable-on-death accounts go directly to named recipients. For assets that don’t have these features, a will still goes through probate. Revocable living trusts can help avoid probate for larger Connecticut estates, but a will is still necessary to catch any assets that don’t make it into the trust.
Q: What happens to my house if I die without a will in Connecticut?
Your house is part of your probate estate and is distributed according to intestacy law. If you’re married with children, your spouse and children share the estate according to the statutory formula. Jointly titled property (joint tenancy with right of survivorship) passes directly to the surviving co-owner outside of probate. How your property is titled matters as much as whether you have a will — but a will ensures your intentions are clear for everything that doesn’t have an automatic beneficiary.
