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Small Estate Procedures · Connecticut

Connecticut's PC-212 small-estate affidavit: the $40,000 rule

Connecticut allows an eligible person to file Form PC-212 after 30 days when the decedent left no solely owned real property and solely owned personal property does not exceed $40,000.

Editorial review draft · Not certified for publication

Count property held in the decedent's name alone. Jointly owned assets and valid beneficiary transfers are handled outside this affidavit, while liens and funeral or last-illness expenses must be disclosed rather than silently netted away.

Check eligibility before signing

  • At least 30 days have passed since death.
  • No solely owned real property remains in the probate estate.
  • Solely owned personal property is $40,000 or less.
  • The filer has statutory priority and can identify the heirs or beneficiaries.

Gather the required documents

  • Affidavit in Lieu of Administration (PC-212)
  • Certified death certificate
  • Original will, if one exists
  • Itemized assets and fair values
  • Funeral, last-illness, and other claim information

Follow the state procedure

File PC-212 with the Probate Court for the district where the decedent lived. The court may direct holders to transfer property and may require payment of priority expenses or claims before the remaining balance is delivered.

Know which property the shortcut reaches

The order handles solely owned personal property such as accounts, refunds, and tangible assets. Solely owned Connecticut land disqualifies this route; survivorship and beneficiary assets do not become affidavit assets merely because they are listed in family records.

Understand the recipient's responsibility

The recipient must apply property as the Probate Court orders, preserve records, and distribute only the remainder. A holder's protection for complying with the order does not protect a filer who omitted property, a creditor, or an entitled heir.

Use another route when these facts apply

  • Solely owned real property exists.
  • Personal property exceeds $40,000.
  • The filer cannot establish priority or complete heirship information.
  • Competing claims require ordinary estate administration.

Sources & methodology

Sources and current rules
Current rule$40,000 solely owned personal property; no solely owned real estate; 30-day waitC.G.S. § 45a-273 (ch. 802b) · current

Methodology & sources

C.G.S. § 45a-273 (ch. 802b) supplies the headline rule and its stated conditions.

Editorial review draft. The source record supporting the ceiling is listed above when one is available. The procedural questions identified in the article are not yet certified.

This page is educational and is not legal advice. Whether the affidavit procedure is right for a particular estate — and what liability the signer takes on — turns on facts a general page cannot resolve, including debts that have not surfaced yet. Confirm your own situation with an attorney licensed in Connecticut.

Sources reviewed August 23, 2026.