Updated September 7, 2026. Quick answer: In Connecticut, connecticut requires a bond of a fiduciary as a general matter, with the amount and security set by the probate judge; the version of § 45a-139 fetched contains no will-based or beneficiary-consent waiver mechanism; the only waiver route in this section is judicial discretion tied to estate size.
Does Connecticut require an executor to post a bond?
Connecticut requires a probate bond of an executor unless it is excused as provided by law (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-289(a)), with the amount and security set by the probate judge (§ 45a-139(b)). A will can direct that no bond be required, and the court follows that direction unless an objection is filed or it finds cause to require one (§ 45a-289(b)); heirs and beneficiaries can ask the court to excuse the bond under Probate Court Rule 35.1; and the judge may also waive it for small estates (§ 45a-139(c)). (Both occurrences: quick answer and first Q&A answer.)
“A probate judge may waive the requirement of a bond if the assets of the estate are less than twenty thousand dollars, or if the amount of the estate which is not restricted by Probate Court order is less than ten thousand dollars.”
Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-139
Can the will waive it in Connecticut?
Yes. If the will designates an executor and directs that no bond be required, the Probate Court follows that provision if no objection has been filed, unless the court determines that for cause shown a bond is necessary for the protection of creditors or to assure payment of succession taxes (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-289(b)).
Can the heirs or beneficiaries waive it in Connecticut?
Yes, with the court’s approval. Under Rule 35.1 of the Probate Court Rules of Procedure, each heir at law or beneficiary named in the will may voluntarily waive the bond requirement on form PC-280 and request that the court excuse it.
If a bond is required, how much?
In dollar terms, that means Connecticut’s probate judge may waive bond outright once the estate’s assets are under $20,000 (or the portion not restricted by a Probate Court order is under $10,000).“shall be in such amount and with such security as shall be required by the judge of probate having jurisdiction pursuant to rules prescribed by the Supreme Court.” Separately, § 45a-139(c): “A probate judge may waive the requirement of a bond if the assets of the estate are less than twenty thousand dollars, or if the amount of the estate which is not restricted by Probate Court order is less than ten thousand dollars.”
Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-139
What makes Connecticut different
Connecticut has three waiver routes: a will that directs no bond (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-289(b)), a waiver by heirs or beneficiaries that the court may accept (Probate Court Rule 35.1), and a judge’s discretionary waiver for small estates under $20,000 in assets or $10,000 unrestricted (§ 45a-139(c)).
| Bond-requirement source | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-139 |
| Connecticut courts (general reference) | Connecticut judicial branch |
| Connecticut Secretary of State / legislature | Connecticut state government |
| Supplemental-figure source | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-139 |
| Confidence | High |
Every statute quoted on this page was read directly from the state’s own legislature/code site this session, or, where that site blocked automated access, from a reputable legal-citation mirror quoting the same official text with its official citation (disclosed below). General information, not legal advice; a probate court has final discretion over bond in every state; confirm your own case with the court or a local attorney before relying on the default described here.
Related: how long creditors have to file a claim against an estate in Connecticut.
Related: how long you have to contest a will in Connecticut.