✓ Verified June 2026
This guide covers Connecticut estate planning in plain English — the exact age, witness, and notarization rules, whether a handwritten will is valid, and how to make your will self-proving. All figures are from Connecticut law, verified as of June 2026.
In This Connecticut Guide:
Connecticut Will Requirements at a Glance
Here are the exact rules for making a valid will in Connecticut:
| Minimum age to make a will | 18 |
| Witnesses required | 2 |
| Notarization required | NO — notarization is not required for a Connecticut will to be legally valid. However, notarization is needed if you want to attach a self-proving affidavit, which can speed up probate |
| Handwritten (holographic) will allowed | NO — Connecticut does not recognize holographic (unwitnessed handwritten) wills. However, under CGS 45a-251, a will validly executed under the laws of the state or country where it was made may be admitted to probate in Connecticut |
| Self-proving affidavit available | YES — Connecticut allows a self-proving affidavit to be attached to the will. The testator and both witnesses appear before a notary public and sign a sworn affidavit confirming their identities and that each knowingly signed the will. This allows the probate court to accept the will without requiring the witnesses to testify in person. The Connecticut Probate Court provides Form PC-210 (Affidavit in Proof of Will) for this purpose |
| Statutory will form | NO — Connecticut does not offer a statutory fill-in-the-blank will form. You may draft your own will or work with an attorney, but there is no state-provided template. The Connecticut Probate Courts website (ctprobate.gov) provides procedural forms for probate administration but not a will template |
What a Connecticut Will Does (and Doesn’t Do)
In Connecticut, a valid will may name an executor (called a fiduciary in Connecticut probate courts) to manage the estate, name a guardian for minor children, direct how probate assets are distributed, make specific bequests of personal property or real estate, and create testamentary trusts. A will may also express funeral or burial preferences, though these are not legally binding
What a Connecticut will does NOT control: A Connecticut will does not control assets that pass outside probate, including life insurance proceeds with a named beneficiary, retirement accounts (401k, IRA) with named beneficiaries, payable-on-death (POD) or transfer-on-death (TOD) accounts, property held in joint tenancy with right of survivorship, and assets held in a living trust.
These pass directly to the named beneficiary or surviving joint owner regardless of what the will says
Oral wills in Connecticut: NO — Connecticut does not recognize oral (nuncupative) wills. Under CGS 45a-251, a will must be in writing, subscribed by the testator, and attested by two witnesses
How to Update or Revoke a Connecticut Will
Under CGS 45a-257, a Connecticut will may be amended by executing a codicil, which must meet the same formalities as the original will (written, signed by the testator, attested by two witnesses). A will may be fully revoked by executing a later will that contains a revocation clause, or by the testator (or someone in the testator’s presence at the testator’s direction) burning, cancelling, tearing, or obliterating the document.
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Connecticut law also provides for implied revocation upon certain life events such as marriage, divorce, birth, or adoption of a child (CGS 45a-257a through 45a-257d)
Other Connecticut will-making rules: Under CGS 45a-258, if a subscribing witness (or that witness’s spouse) is also a beneficiary under the will, the gift to that witness is void — unless the will can be legally attested without that witness’s signature or the witness is already an heir of the testator. The witness remains competent to attest the will, but their bequest is forfeited.
Additionally, Connecticut uses the term “fiduciary” rather than “executor” in its probate courts. Connecticut also recognizes foreign wills executed validly under the laws of the jurisdiction where they were made (CGS 45a-251)
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Understanding Connecticut Estate Planning
Getting started with Connecticut estate planning is the single best gift you can give your family. A valid Connecticut will lets you decide who inherits, name an executor, and name a guardian for your children — instead of leaving it to a default state formula.
When people look into Connecticut estate planning, the real answer comes down to the state’s execution rules: your age, the number of witnesses, and whether you make it self-proving. If any part of Connecticut estate planning is unclear, your state court’s self-help center can point you to the official forms and resources.
Official Connecticut Sources & Resources
- Connecticut Court Self-Help: https://www.ctprobate.gov/trusts-estates
- Connecticut Wills Statute: https://www.cga.ct.gov/2023/pub/chap_802a.htm
- Internal Revenue Service — Estate Tax: irs.gov
- Cornell Legal Information Institute: law.cornell.edu/wex
This Connecticut will guide was last verified against official sources in June 2026. Laws change — verify with your state court or a licensed attorney.
More Connecticut Wills & Probate Guides
- Connecticut Probate Process
- Dying Without a Will in Connecticut
- Connecticut Estate & Inheritance Tax
- Connecticut Small Estate Affidavit
- Connecticut Living Trust
- Probate Cost Calculator
- All 51 States
Disclaimer: This guide is informational only and is not legal or tax advice. Estate, probate, and tax laws change and vary by state and county. Verify current rules and dollar figures with your state’s court, statute, or a licensed attorney or tax professional before acting. For urgent matters like an active probate or a tax deadline, consult a licensed professional in your state right away.