Connecticut estate planning
Connecticut will, trust & power-of-attorney requirements
Connecticut sets its own rules for how an instrument must be signed and witnessed, whether it needs a notary, and how estates are taxed. The requirements below are drawn from the same attorney crafted & attorney verified Connecticut rule set Estateur drafts against — every Connecticut will, revocable living trust, and power of attorney is generated to these formalities and validated against them before delivery.
Connecticut estate planning at a glance
| Will witnesses required | two witnesses |
|---|---|
| Will must be notarized | No (self-proving affidavit optional) |
| Self-proving affidavit | Available (recommended) |
| Handwritten (holographic) wills | Not recognized |
| Electronic wills | Not permitted |
| State estate tax | Yes — 2025 exemption $13.99 million |
| State inheritance tax | None |
| Community property | No (separate / common-law property) |
General information, not legal advice. Figures such as tax exemptions change; confirm current requirements with the Connecticut courts or department of revenue.
How to make a valid will in Connecticut
A Connecticut will must be in writing and signed by the testator in front of two witnesses. Notarization is not required for the will to be valid, but a self-proving affidavit — which is notarized — makes probate easier by removing the need for the attesting witnesses to testify later. Connecticut does not recognize handwritten (holographic) wills — the witness requirement applies regardless.
Spousal protection. Life estate in 1/2 of estate for deaths on/after Oct 1, 2018 (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-436) — NOT 1/3. A will cannot fully disinherit a surviving spouse in most states — Estateur's intake flags an elective-share exposure on the draft.
Living trusts & avoiding probate in Connecticut
A will still has to pass through Connecticut probate — a public, court-supervised process — before assets reach the beneficiaries. A revocable living trust holds assets during life and transfers them at death without probate, which is usually faster and stays private. Whether a trust is warranted turns on the client’s real property, the size and complexity of the estate, and the planning objectives.
Estateur drafts either structure on your instruction, and every trust-based matter generates the pour-over will as a companion instrument, with the plan-level consistency checks run across the set.
Powers of attorney & healthcare directives in Connecticut
A financial power of attorney in Connecticut must be notarized and signed before two witnesses. (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 1-350d)
A Connecticut healthcare directive must be signed before two qualified witnesses. (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 19a-576)
A complete plan also includes a HIPAA authorization so the healthcare agent can actually obtain the client's medical information. Estateur drafts each of these to Connecticut's signing rules and generates the matching execution instructions.
Connecticut estate & inheritance tax
Connecticut levies a state estate tax with a 2025 exemption of $13.99 million — well below the federal exemption, so an estate can owe Connecticut tax while owing no federal tax. Connecticut has no separate inheritance tax.
Estate-tax exemption amounts are 2025 figures and change annually. Confirm current thresholds with the Connecticut department of revenue.
Connecticut statutes referenced
- Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-251
- Conn. Gen. Stat. § 1-350d
- Conn. Gen. Stat. § 19a-576
Connecticut estate planning: common questions
- How many witnesses does a will require in Connecticut?
- Connecticut requires two witnesses to the testator's signature (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-251). A notarized self-proving affidavit is optional but recommended — it admits the will to probate without witness testimony. Connecticut does not recognize handwritten (holographic) wills.
- Does Connecticut permit electronic wills?
- No. Connecticut has not adopted an electronic-wills statute, so a will must be executed on paper under the state's ordinary formalities. Estateur's Connecticut execution instructions reflect that.
- What are the signing requirements for a financial power of attorney in Connecticut?
- A financial power of attorney in Connecticut must be notarized and signed before two witnesses. (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 1-350d)
- Does Connecticut have an estate tax or inheritance tax?
- Connecticut levies a state estate tax with a 2025 exemption of $13.99 million — well below the federal exemption, so an estate can owe Connecticut tax while owing no federal tax. Connecticut has no separate inheritance tax.
- How does Estateur handle Connecticut-specific requirements?
- Estateur drafts each instrument against Connecticut's attorney crafted & attorney verified rule set, including execution formalities, mandatory and prohibited clauses, and statutory citations. It then runs required checks before delivery. Every Connecticut document includes a matching execution checklist. Estateur is a self-help document preparation service, not a law firm.
Build your Connecticut estate plan
Estateur guides you through a plain-English interview and prepares Connecticut instruments drafted against the verified rule set above, validated before they reach you, and delivered with execution instructions for a flat one-time price.
Estateur is a self-help document preparation service, not a law firm, and does not provide legal advice. Information on this page reflects Connecticut law in general terms and may change.
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