Can I take money from my dead aunts funeral to pay for her funeral

Generally in Connecticut, Wills must be admitted to the Probate Court so the court can formally appoint the Executor and authorize the Executor to ensure that any debts, funeral expenses, probate costs, and taxes are paid, and subsequently distribute assets in accordance with the Will or Connecticut law, in the absence of a Will.  Once an Executor is formally appointed by the Court, he or she must identify, gather, and take “control” of the assets (as a fiduciary, not personally) that are subject to probate.  Generally, this includes property held in the decedent’s sole name or not held with a right of survivorship.  Assets in the name of the decedent alone or not held with survivorship may not be used until an executor or administrator is appointed, which may take two to four weeks. (In an emergency, the court can appoint a temporary administrator sooner). Once an Executor is appointed, the Executor may request permission from the Court to access assets to pay expenses and debts, including funeral expenses, or to reimburse anyone who contributed to those expenses on behalf of the decedent.  It is important to keep records of all assets, debts, expenses, etc. because the Executor must file an inventory accounting for all assets and transactions with the Court prior to the closing of the estate.