Quick answer: the deadline that shapes the whole schedule is 150 days from the appointment of the first fiduciary — not from death, not from publication. See the full Connecticut probate timeline calculator for your specific estimate.
The core deadlines, in order
| Deadline | Connecticut rule | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Newspaper notice published | Within 14 days of fiduciary appointment | C.G.S. § 45a-354 |
| Creditor claim period | 150 days from appointment of first fiduciary | C.G.S. § 45a-356 |
| Fiduciary files return & list of claims | Within 60 days after the 150-day period ends | C.G.S. § 45a-378 |
| Fiduciary must act on a presented claim | Within 90 days, or creditor may demand action | Probate Court practice |
| Discretionary extension for a missed claim | Application within 60 days after expiration; up to 30 more days | C.G.S. § 45a-378 |
| Estate-tax return (every resident estate) | Within 6 months of death | C.G.S. § 12-391 |
What the 150-day period actually protects
Worth understanding clearly: unlike a classic nonclaim statute that bars a late claim outright, Connecticut's rule under § 45a-356 shields the fiduciary: once 150 days have run from the appointment of the first fiduciary, that fiduciary is not personally chargeable for assets already paid or distributed in good faith, even if a claim shows up later. The protection fails if the creditor can prove the fiduciary actually knew about the claim when the payment was made. The period isn't interrupted by a failed or defective newspaper notice, or by the fiduciary's death, resignation, or removal — except that any stretch with no fiduciary in office doesn't count toward the 150 days.
Publication follows the clock; it doesn't start it
The Probate Court causes a newspaper notice to be published within 14 days of the fiduciary's appointment under § 45a-354 — but that publication date isn't what starts the 150-day period. The appointment itself is the anchor. A common misconception is that the notice date matters; in Connecticut, it's the court's own appointment order that counts.
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