The Court Track Most Colorado Estates Use

Colorado is one of a relatively small number of states to adopt the Uniform Probate Code, a framework designed to make probate faster and less court-intensive than the older systems many other states still use. Under this structure, estates generally proceed through one of two tracks. Informal probate is governed by C.R.S. Section 15-12-301, and it is the track most...

Colorado’s 2026 Community Property Change

Colorado draws steady migration from states that treat marital assets as community property. A new state law changes how some of that property is handled when the first spouse dies, and it now reaches real estate sitting in Colorado regardless of where the owner was living at the end of life. For couples who bought here after years in California,...

The Shortcut Available to Small Estates

Under C.R.S. Section 15-12-1201, heirs can collect a decedent's personal property using a sworn affidavit rather than opening a probate case, as long as the total value of the estate's personal property falls under a threshold that adjusts each year for inflation. For deaths occurring in 2026, that threshold sits at $88,000. This yearly adjustment means the exact dollar figure...

Creditors in Colorado Probate Explained

One of the most important functions of the Colorado probate process is giving creditors of the deceased a structured opportunity to present claims against the estate before assets are distributed to heirs. This creditor process is governed by specific rules that affect how long probate takes, what debts get paid, and what protections personal representatives have after distributions are made....

How Colorado Trusts Are Taxed

Trusts are powerful estate planning tools, but they come with their own tax considerations. Colorado residents who use trusts as part of their estate plan need to understand how those trusts are taxed at both the federal and state level, because the tax treatment depends on the type of trust, who controls it, and when distributions are made. How Does...

Living Trusts and Privacy in Colorado

When someone dies with assets that must pass through probate in Colorado, that process becomes part of the public record. The will, the inventory of assets, the names of beneficiaries, and the details of how the estate is distributed can all be accessed by anyone who takes the time to look. A living trust offers a straightforward way to avoid...

Understanding Colorado’s Intestacy Laws

When a Colorado resident dies without a will, trust, or other estate planning documents in place, the state steps in to determine what happens to their assets. That process, governed by Colorado's intestacy laws, follows a fixed formula that does not account for personal relationships, family dynamics, or the wishes the person never got around to putting in writing. How...

How Colorado Banks Handle Powers of Attorney

A power of attorney is only useful if the people and institutions you need to use it with will actually accept it. In Colorado, banks and other financial institutions have the legal right to review power of attorney documents carefully before honoring them, and there are circumstances under which they may decline to act on a document even if it...

Wildfire Season and Your Estate Plan

Colorado's wildfire season has been active and dangerous this year, with large fires burning across the western part of the state. For families along the Front Range, that is a reminder that an estate plan only helps if it exists and can be found when it matters. A will you have been meaning to write, or one locked inside a...

Trust Review After the 2026 Tax Law

A change in federal tax law took effect this year, and it quietly reshaped what sound estate planning looks like for many families. If your trust was drafted with the old exemption limits in mind, it may now be built around a problem that no longer exists. A short review can tell you whether your plan still does what you...

$100M Special Needs Trust Fraud Warning Signs

A federal indictment unsealed in June 2025 charged two Florida men with stealing more than $100 million from a nonprofit that managed funds for people with disabilities. The case has drawn national attention, and it raises important questions for Colorado families who rely on special needs trusts to protect a loved one's financial future. What Happened at the Center for...

Lynn Bartels and Why Coloradans Need a Will

The death of Lynn Bartels, one of Colorado's most respected political journalists, has prompted an outpouring of grief from across the state's political spectrum. She died in June 2026 after a diagnosis of brain cancer, leaving behind a legacy built over three decades of reporting. Her passing is also a quiet reminder of something many Coloradans overlook: when a serious...

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