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Vermont Estate Value Calculator

Vermont skipped the ordinary transfer-on-death deed entirely and instead wrote its own statute for a "Lady Bird"-style deed, with its own name and its own rulebook. Check each asset below to see what actually counts toward the probate estate.

27 V.S.A. § 651, 8 V.S.A. § 14204 FigureMyTax Editorial Team Free · no sign-up

By the FigureMyTax Editorial Team · Reviewed 2026 · How we calculate

What's in this estate?

For each asset the person owned, enter its value and how it's titled. We'll sort each one into the Vermont probate estate or outside it.

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Vermont probate estate (what a court oversees)
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Is this small enough to skip probate? →
Facing probate in Vermont?

A local probate attorney can review your estate — many offer a free consultation.

Talk to a Vermont attorney

Joint tenancy and tenancy by the entirety, the ordinary way

Vermont real estate held with a right of survivorship passes automatically to the surviving owner, with tenancy by the entirety available specifically to married couples. See our full breakdown of Vermont joint tenancy rules.

A statute built specifically for the "Lady Bird" deed concept

Vermont has no TOD deed. Instead, it enacted its own dedicated Enhanced Life Estate Deed Act, effective July 13, 2020, codifying this nonprobate transfer tool directly into law. See our full guide to the Vermont Enhanced Life Estate Deed.

Bank accounts with a conclusive-evidence standard

Specific statutory language on a Vermont joint account, signed by whoever funded it, can be treated as conclusive evidence of survivorship. See our guide to Vermont beneficiary and P.O.D. accounts.

Where this feeds into other Vermont calculators

The probate-estate total from this tool is the starting point for Vermont's probate cost and executor fee calculators, and for checking Vermont's small estate procedures. Vermont has a state estate tax on larger estates — see our Vermont Estate Tax Calculator for that separate calculation.

Vermont estate value — frequently asked questions

Does jointly owned real estate skip probate in Vermont?

Yes, if the deed includes a right of survivorship, through joint tenancy or tenancy by the entirety for married couples. Ownership passes automatically to the surviving owner, and probate is usually not required for that asset.

Does Vermont have a transfer on death deed?

No. Vermont instead has its own dedicated statute, the Enhanced Life Estate Deed Act, effective July 13, 2020, which codifies a similar nonprobate transfer mechanism directly into law.

What is a Vermont Enhanced Life Estate Deed?

A deed where the owner retains a life estate with enhanced powers - including the right to sell, mortgage, or revoke the deed without the named remainder beneficiary's consent - while that beneficiary receives the property automatically at the owner's death.

What makes a Vermont joint bank account conclusively a survivorship account?

Specific statutory language - "payable to either or to the survivor" or words of like effect - signed by the person who furnished the funds for the deposit, which Vermont law treats as conclusive evidence of an absolute joint account.

Does Vermont have a state estate tax that could affect this total?

Yes. Vermont taxes larger estates at the state level, a separate calculation from what counts toward the probate estate itself.

Vermont estate value tools & guides

Vermont Joint Tenancy RulesJoint tenancy and entirety, the ordinary way Vermont Enhanced Life Estate DeedA dedicated statute for the Lady Bird deed Vermont Beneficiary AccountsA conclusive-evidence signature standard Vermont Estate Tax CalculatorVermont taxes large estates at the state level Vermont Small Estate CheckerIs this estate small enough to skip probate? Vermont Probate Cost CalculatorWhat full probate would cost on this total

This calculator provides an estimate for general guidance only and is not legal advice. Figures are based on Vermont statute (27 V.S.A. § 651 et seq., 8 V.S.A. § 14204, § 14205) verified per our methodology. How a specific asset is actually classified depends on its full paperwork, account agreement, or deed language. Confirm with the town Clerk or a licensed Vermont attorney before acting.