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The Probate Bond Experts
Licensed to issue executor, administrator, and guardian bonds for the Probate Division of the Superior Court in all 14 Vermont counties. Fast approval, competitive rates, and real probate expertise.
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When approved, bond issued within 24 hours or instant when qualified.
A probate court bond protecting heirs. Includes the executor bond (with a will), administrator bond (no will), and general personal representative bond.
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A court fiduciary bond protecting incapacitated adults. Includes the guardianship bond and financial conservator bond to prevent asset exploitation.
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A probate surety bond protecting kids' assets. Includes the guardianship bond for minors and guardian of the estate bond to preserve funds.
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A fiduciary surety bond protecting beneficiaries. Includes the trustee bond (or trust bond) to ensure legal, ethical trust management.
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Probate in Vermont is handled by the Probate Division of the Superior Court. The state is organized into 18 probate districts across its 14 counties, since four counties are split into two probate districts each, and there are 14 elected probate judges. You file with the Probate Division of the Superior Court in the county where the decedent lived.
Vermont is not a Uniform Probate Code state. It administers estates under Title 14 of the Vermont Statutes, with the bond rules in Chapter 61. The estate fiduciary is an executor when named in a will and an administrator when appointed without one.
Vermont imposes its own estate tax with a flat exemption of $5 million and a 16 percent rate on the amount above it. It is separate from the federal estate tax, and Vermont has no inheritance tax.
When a Vermont bond is required, the amount is set by the Probate Division under 14 V.S.A. Chapter 61:
Vermont requires a bond of every executor and administrator, but whether it needs sureties is up to the court. Under 14 V.S.A. Chapter 61:
Qualifying in a Vermont estate follows Title 14 and Probate Division practice:
When a Vermont bond requires surety, the cost is a premium paid to the surety company. Many bonds are accepted without surety, in which case there is no premium.
Beyond the standard executor and administrator bond, Vermont probate practice uses several additional bond types:
Vermont does not run a licensing board for private professional fiduciaries, but Title 14 places clear duties on every executor and administrator:
You can check pricing or apply online once you know the bond type ordered by the court. Applications must match the bond type and amount specified in your court order or legal documents.
APPLY NOWYes, in the sense that an executor or administrator must give a bond to secure performance before letters are granted. Whether the bond needs sureties is up to the court, and many bonds, including small-estate bonds, are accepted without surety.
No. The Probate Division sets the amount and may order that the bond have sureties. In a small estate the bond is without surety unless the judge orders otherwise, and the court may accept a bond without surety where the will so directs.
When the bond requires surety, most Vermont probate bonds cost about 0.5% to 1% of the bond amount per year for well-qualified applicants, so a $100,000 bond commonly runs $500 to $1,000 per year. Without surety there is no premium.
The executor or administrator gives a bond to secure performance, and the Probate Division of the Superior Court sets the amount, having regard to the value of the estate, and decides whether the bond needs sureties.
Most Vermont probate bonds are issued within 24 hours of a completed application, and qualified applicants can often be approved the same day. We keep the process moving so you can qualify before the Probate Division without delay.
Yes. Credit is one factor but not the only one. We work with multiple surety companies and can often find an approved program for applicants with credit challenges, sometimes with a co-signer or collateral.
The Probate Division of the Superior Court handles probate. Vermont is organized into 18 probate districts across its 14 counties, and you file in the Probate Division for the county where the decedent lived.
Yes. Vermont imposes its own estate tax with a flat exemption of $5 million and a 16 percent rate on the amount above it. It is separate from the federal estate tax, and Vermont has no inheritance tax.
Yes. A person named in a will is an executor, and a person the court appoints when there is no will is an administrator. Vermont uses these terms directly, and both serve as the fiduciary of the estate.
The bond is for the security and benefit of all interested persons. It is conditioned on the fiduciary inventorying the estate, administering it according to law, accounting to the court, and paying the taxes due.
When a bond is required, it stays in force until the estate is settled and the fiduciary is discharged. For estates that stay open across more than one year, any premium is charged annually until that discharge.
The bond is conditioned on returning an inventory to the Probate Division within 60 days as required by law, and on rendering an account of administration within one year and whenever else the court requires.
Yes. A nonresident executor or administrator must file an appointment of a Vermont resident agent, so the court and interested persons can reach the fiduciary during the administration.
No. A probate bond is a surety bond, not insurance for the fiduciary. It protects the interested persons of the estate. If the surety pays a claim, the executor or administrator is legally obligated to repay the surety.
A small estate involves a simpler process when the estate is valued under $45,000 and there is no real estate except a timeshare. The small estate bond is without surety unless the judge orders otherwise.
Often yes. A guardian responsible for a protected person's property is generally required to post a bond tied to the value of the estate under management, under the continuing supervision of the Probate Division.
The bond is conditioned on paying the State of Vermont all inheritance and transfer taxes the fiduciary is required to pay. Vermont also has a $5 million estate tax that the fiduciary should account for early.
You file the bond with the Probate Division of the Superior Court in the county where the decedent lived, and the court sets the conditions and approves it before letters are granted.
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FIND OUT MOREFind Vermont Probate Courts by County
Once you have your bond, or if you need court addresses, phone numbers, filing hours, and local forms, visit our Vermont probate court directory. We list every county court in Vermont with contact information and links to local forms.
Vermont Probate Court Directory