Sec. 4a-15. (Formerly Sec. 4-68c). Powers and duties of administrator.

The estate administrator may act as guardian, conservator, administrator or trustee, or in any other fiduciary capacity under the jurisdiction and appointment of the probate courts of this state or like courts of any other state or of the United States, or any instrumentality of any other state or of the United States qualified to appoint fiduciaries, only in connection with property of any minor, incapable, incompetent or deceased person who is or has been receiving financial aid from the state. In the case of any person receiving public or medical assistance from the state, the estate administrator shall apply toward the cost of care of such person any assets exceeding limits on assets set by statute or regulations adopted by the Commissioner of Social Services. The estate administrator shall have the same rights and powers and be subject to the same duties and obligations as are possessed by and imposed upon guardians, conservators, administrators and other fiduciaries, and such courts or instrumentalities are authorized to appoint the estate administrator, trustee or other fiduciary in connection with property of any such minor, incapable, incompetent or deceased person. The authority of the estate administrator to act and of the court or instrumentality to appoint such estate administrator shall be limited to cases in which the estate consists of personal property only, and the amount of personal property involved, or the annual income other than state benefits, does not exceed fifty thousand dollars in value. The estate administrator shall be excused from giving any bond in any court proceeding, and shall not be allowed a fee for services.

(1967, P.A. 314, S. 20; 1969, P.A. 453, S. 1; P.A. 81-82, S. 4; 81-349, S. 1, 5; P.A. 93-262, S. 1, 87; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2, S. 8, 165; P.A. 03-126, S. 1.)

History: 1969 act specified that estate administrators act only in cases in which estate consists entirely of personal property or of income other than state benefits not exceeding $5,000, replacing previous dollar limit of $3,500, and provided that administrators not be required to give bond and that they not receive a fee for services; P.A. 81-82 increased the limit on the amount of personal property involved from $5,000 to $10,000; P.A. 81-349 required that in the case of any person receiving public or medical assistance, the administrator shall apply any assets exceeding limits set by statute or regulation toward the cost of care of such person; Sec. 4-68c transferred to Sec. 4a-15 in 1989; P.A. 93-262 authorized substitution of commissioner of social services for commissioner of income maintenance, effective July 1, 1993; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2 made technical changes, effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 03-126 substituted $50,000 for $10,000, effective July 1, 2003.