Probate & Fiduciary Administration
We’ll help you through this—quickly and efficiently
The primary purpose of the probate court is to supervise the administration of a deceased person’s estate and ensure assets pass to those who are entitled to receive them. However, the probate process can be complex and difficult to navigate for those who are unfamiliar with the probate court rules and procedures. This is particularly true in the case of larger estates or estates with complicated and/or diverse assets. For this reason, many families prefer to hire an attorney to assist with the process. The probate attorneys at KKC routinely assist families in probating the estates of their loved ones and are here to help you through this difficult process.
How Can KKC Help?
Estate Administration
Our probate attorneys can prepare all necessary probate court filings, prepare and file required tax returns, assist with processing non-probate assets (life insurance, retirement accounts, joint property, etc.), mediate and resolve potential disputes, and generally reduce the time commitment required by executors and administrators of estates.
Conservatorships
In order to manage the affairs of an incapacitated person, it may be necessary to establish a conservatorship or guardianship through the Probate Court. Our probate attorneys are familiar with Probate Court rules and other issues associated with the onset of incapacity and can make this process as worry-free as possible for the family members or other loved ones.
KKC’sProbate & Fiduciary Administration Attorneys
Paralegals and Staff
Frequently Asked Questions
What is probate?
Probate is the court-supervised process of administering a deceased person’s estate, including identifying assets, paying debts and taxes, and distributing remaining assets to beneficiaries or heirs. In Connecticut, the probate process also involves addressing matters such as validating a Will and appointing an executor or administrator to handle the estate.
What assets need to pass through probate?
Assets owned solely by the deceased person without a designated beneficiary must pass through probate. Assets held in a trust, jointly owned with rights of survivorship, or with a beneficiary designation pass outside of probate.
Will my estate owe any taxes when I die?
Your estate may owe federal or Connecticut estate tax if the total value of the estate exceeds the applicable estate tax exemption amount. Additionally, the estate may owe income taxes on income earned during the period of estate administration, such as interest, dividends, or rental income. Whether any taxes are due depends on the size of the estate, its income, and the tax laws in effect at the time.
My spouse died and we owned everything jointly. Do I need to file any documents with the probate court?
Yes. Even if you owned all your assets jointly, you may still need to file paperwork with the probate court, particularly if you owned real estate in Connecticut. Connecticut places a lien on real estate to secure any potential estate tax liability, so an estate tax return must be filed to have the lien released. If you plan to sell your home at some point in the future, you will not be able to complete the sale without getting this lien released.
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