Arkansas probate & fiduciary bonds.
For executors, administrators & guardians.

Before the court issues letters, it usually requires the fiduciary to post a bond.
This probate bond protects the heirs, beneficiaries, and creditors of the estate.
The court fixes the amount from the value of the property passing through your hands.
It is underwritten, not flat-rated — tell us the estate and the role, and we quote it.

Required before letters issue under Ark. Code Ann. § 28-48-201 for executors, administrators & guardians
Amount is fixed by the court — based on the value of the estate property
Underwritten on credit and the estate — larger estates may require financials
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BDG
Capital
McKinney
Terra
JLL
Triple Five
Georgetown
How it works

Built for the letters of appointment.

The clerk won’t issue your letters until the bond is approved and filed. Here is the whole process:

TODAY · 10 MINUTES

Tell us the role & the estate

Send your role (executor, administrator, guardian, or conservator), the court, and the estimated value of the property passing through your hands. That figure drives the court-set amount and the quote.

ABOUT 1 BUSINESS DAY

A specialist underwrites & quotes

A surety specialist reviews the matter, including a soft credit check, and returns a quote. Most fiduciary bonds clear on credit; larger estates may require financial statements, which we’ll flag up front.

ON APPROVAL

Execute & file

We issue the bond on the probate court’s form, with the surety’s power of attorney attached, so it can be approved and your letters can issue.

About this bond

What it is and who needs it.

What a fiduciary bond guarantees

When someone is appointed to handle a decedent’s estate or to manage the affairs of a ward, the probate court holds them to a fiduciary duty — and usually requires a bond to back it.

The probate (or fiduciary) bond guarantees that the personal representative or guardian will faithfully perform their duties: inventory the assets, account honestly, and distribute the estate as the law and the court direct. If they don’t, the bond compensates the harmed parties.

The court sets the amount. Under the Arkansas Probate Code the bond is generally not less than the estimated value of the property expected to pass through the fiduciary’s hands — and, for individual sureties, double that value — though a corporate surety bond is typically set at the single value.

Arkansas StatuteArk. Code Ann. § 28-48-201 requires a bond from the personal representative before letters issue, in an amount fixed by the court — for a corporate surety, not less than the estimated value of the property reasonably expected to pass through the fiduciary’s hands. By Ark. Code Ann. § 28-65-215, the same framework applies to guardians (excluding the value of unsold real property).

You need this bond if you’re

An executor named in a will and required by the court to post a bond before letters testamentary issue
An administrator appointed over an intestate estate (no will, so a bond is the default)
A guardian or conservator managing the person or estate of a minor or incapacitated adult
A relative or professional fiduciary the probate court has ordered to be bonded

Start with your role and the estate value.

These are the actual underwriting fields — your fiduciary role, the court, the estate, and your business. Submit once and a surety specialist responds in about one business day with a quote and any financial requirement. No charge until the bond is issued.

Start the application →
FAQs

Common questions.

If yours isn't here, the bond team can usually answer within the hour.

What is an Arkansas probate bond? +
It is a fiduciary bond required by the probate court before it issues letters to an executor, administrator, guardian, or conservator. Under Ark. Code Ann. § 28-48-201 it guarantees the fiduciary will faithfully perform their duties and account for the estate, protecting heirs, beneficiaries, and creditors.
Who sets the bond amount? +
The court. Under the Arkansas Probate Code the amount is fixed by reference to the value of the property reasonably expected to pass through the fiduciary’s hands — for a corporate surety, not less than that estimated value.
How much does it cost? +
There is no flat rate. The bond is underwritten individually: premium depends on the court-set penal sum, the underwriting, and the estate. Most fiduciary bonds clear on a soft credit check; larger estates may require financials. Tell us your role and the estate value and a specialist returns a quote.
Do you check credit? +
Fiduciary bonds are underwritten, so a soft credit check is part of the review. Credit affects approval and terms; it is not the whole picture, and the role and estate size matter too. We’ll tell you what, if anything, else is needed when we quote.
Can the bond be waived? +
Sometimes — a will may waive bond, or all interested parties may consent. But the court can still require one, and when it does, this is the bond. If you’re not sure, send us the order and we’ll size it to what the court asked for.
Related bonds

Other New York bonds.

Get bonded so your letters can issue.

Send your role and the estate value. A surety specialist underwrites it and returns a quote — typically within one business day. No charge until the bond is issued.

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