Vermont trustee bonds.
We size, underwrite & quote it.

When the court or the trust instrument requires it, a trustee must give a bond.
It secures the faithful performance of the trustee’s fiduciary duties.
The court sets the amount to protect the beneficiaries — and we underwrite it.
A surety specialist reviews your file and returns a quote, usually within one business day.

Required when the trust calls for it or the court finds one needed under 14A V.S.A. § 702
Amount is set by the court to protect the interests of the beneficiaries
Underwritten on the trustee’s file; collateral may apply to a large trust
Underwrittencourt sets the amountA-ratedA.M. Best carriers1 business daytypical specialist reply
Trusted by industry leaders
NYCEDC
BDG
Capital
McKinney
Terra
JLL
Triple Five
Georgetown
NYCEDC
BDG
Capital
McKinney
Terra
JLL
Triple Five
Georgetown
How it works

Built for the order requiring bond.

When the Probate Division orders a trustee to give bond, or a trust instrument requires it, that bond gates the trustee’s authority to act. Here is the whole process:

TODAY · 10 MINUTES

Send us the file

Apply online with the order or trust provision requiring the bond, the trust’s value, and the trustee’s details. The value of the trust drives the penal sum.

WITHIN 1 BUSINESS DAY

A surety specialist underwrites it

A specialist reviews the file, a credit check, and any financials, then returns a quote. The amount is set by the court — underwriting decides approval and any collateral on a large trust.

ON APPROVAL

Execute & file

Once you bind, we issue the executed bond on the required form with the power of attorney attached, ready to file so the trustee can act with full authority.

About this bond

What it is and who needs it.

When a trustee must be bonded

A trustee holds and manages trust property for the beneficiaries. Vermont doesn’t bond every trustee — but when the trust instrument requires it, or the Probate Division finds a bond is needed to protect the beneficiaries, a bond is required before the trustee can fully act.

The trustee bond secures the performance of the trustee’s duties: investing prudently, accounting honestly, and distributing as the trust directs. If the trustee breaches those duties, the bond makes the beneficiaries whole and the surety looks to the trustee to repay it.

Because the surety stands behind the trust, the bond is underwritten on the trustee’s credit and finances, and a large trust can require collateral. The court specifies the amount and can modify or terminate it at any time.

Vermont StatuteUnder the Vermont Trust Code, 14A V.S.A. § 702, a trustee shall give bond to secure performance of the trustee’s duties only if the Probate Division of the Superior Court finds that a bond is required by the terms of the trust and has not dispensed with the requirement, or finds by clear and convincing evidence that a bond is needed to protect the interests of the beneficiaries. The court may specify the amount of a bond, its liabilities, and whether sureties are necessary, and may modify or terminate a bond at any time.

You need this bond if you’re

A trustee whose trust instrument or the Probate Division requires a bond to protect the beneficiaries
A successor or substitute trustee stepping in where the trust requires bonding
A court-directed trustee the Probate Division has ordered to give bond
Counsel or a beneficiary arranging the bond so the trustee can administer the trust with full authority

The application takes about ten minutes.

These are the actual underwriting fields — the order or trust provision, the trust’s value, the trustee, and your finances. Submit once and a surety specialist returns a quote, typically within one business day. Free until your 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 a Vermont trustee bond? +
It is the bond a trustee gives to secure performance of fiduciary duties. Under 14A V.S.A. § 702 of the Vermont Trust Code, a trustee gives bond only if the Probate Division finds the trust requires one (and hasn’t dispensed with it) or finds by clear and convincing evidence that a bond is needed to protect the beneficiaries. The court specifies the amount.
How much does it cost? +
It is underwritten, not flat-rated. The court specifies the penal sum, sized to protect the beneficiaries. A surety specialist then reviews the trustee’s credit and finances and any collateral and returns a premium quote, usually within one business day.
Do all Vermont trustees need a bond? +
No. Under 14A V.S.A. § 702 a trustee gives bond only where the trust requires it and the court hasn’t dispensed with the requirement, or the court finds by clear and convincing evidence a bond is needed to protect the beneficiaries. Where one is required, the court specifies the amount — which it may later modify or terminate.
Will I need collateral? +
Sometimes, especially on a large trust. Because the surety guarantees the trustee’s performance, a high penal sum may require collateral and financials. We tell you what your specific file needs before you commit.
How fast can the bond be issued? +
A specialist typically returns a quote within one business day of a complete application. Once you bind and any collateral is in place, the executed bond issues on the required form, ready to file so the trustee can act with full authority.
Related bonds

Other New York bonds.

Get bonded and administer the trust.

Send us the order or trust provision and the trust’s value, and a surety specialist sizes, underwrites, and quotes the bond — typically within one business day. Free until your bond is issued.

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