Serves Western Colorado from Glenwood Springs, from Aspen and Vail to Grand Junction, Montrose, Telluride, and Steamboat Springs. Guides personal representatives and beneficiaries through Colorado probate and estate administration, alongside wills, trusts, and living wills. Founded in 1953, the firm also practices water, real estate, and local government law.
Probate in Montrose County
Probate Court Record
Montrose County Combined Court
Montrose County · 7th Judicial District
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 7:30 AM-4:30 PM
Office
1200 North Grand Avenue, Bin A, Montrose, CO 81401
Website
E-filing
Filing in person
Walk-ins accepted
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
How to file probate in Montrose County →
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
Do I need a lawyer for probate in Montrose County? →Settling an estate in Montrose County →
Probate Firms Serving Montrose County
Serves Mesa, Delta, and Montrose counties from Grand Junction. Drafts wills, living trusts, durable and medical powers of attorney, health care directives, and beneficiary designations, and handles estate probate, alongside family law and criminal defense. The firm opened in 1977 as LaCroix & Associates.
Serves Western Slope communities including Crested Butte, Gunnison, Lake City, Montrose, and Telluride from Crested Butte. Counsels executors, administrators, and trustees through probate and estate administration, from inventorying property to settling debts and distributing assets, and handles trust administration, estate litigation, wills, and trusts. Attorney Aaron Huckstep is also a CPA.
Serves Chaffee, Pitkin, Garfield, Delta, and Grand counties from seven offices in Buena Vista, Salida, Aspen, Basalt, Glenwood Springs, Paonia, and Winter Park. Handles probate and trust administration and probate litigation for beneficiaries, personal representatives, and trustees, and builds wills, trusts, and succession plans. Managing partner Ann Jefferson leads the estate practice.
Serves Colorado statewide from Steamboat Springs, including Northwest Colorado and the mountain resort communities. Handles probate and trust administration, guardianships and conservatorships, and drafts wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and gift plans. Offers a free initial consultation, including by telephone.
Serves Colorado from offices in Denver and Edwards, and travels statewide to meet clients. Represents personal representatives, trustees, beneficiaries, and heirs in estate and trust administration and probate litigation, and handles guardianships and conservatorships. Managing partner Marco D. Chayet is Public Administrator for the 18th Judicial District. Consultations are free.
Forms for Planning and Settling an Estate in Colorado
Free Colorado forms to plan or settle an estate: a will, trust, powers of attorney, TOD deed and the probate forms. Prepare each form for Colorado.
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Revocable Living Trust
Create a revocable living trust to avoid probate, protect privacy, and control asset distribution.
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Last Will and Testament
In Colorado, a will is signed before 2C.R.S. § 15-11-502Verified Oct 18, 2026View source witnesses, and a self-proving affidavit signed with it lets the court admit it without witness testimonyC.R.S. § 15-11-502Verified Oct 18, 2026View source.
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Tools for Planning and Settling an Estate in Colorado
Free calculators and checklists to plan or settle an estate in Colorado: will and trust costs, probate, executor pay and taxes. Run each tool for Colorado.
How Much Does Probate Cost?
Probate on a $500,000 estate in Colorado costs an estimated $26,082C.R.S. § 15-10-602 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Attorney fees run 2%Modeled estimate under C.R.S. § 15-10-602 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.1%Modeled estimate under C.R.S. § 15-10-602 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate under a reasonable-compensation standard.
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How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in Colorado: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 90 daysC.R.S. § 15-12-706Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 4 monthsC.R.S. §§ 15-12-801, 15-12-803, 15-12-805, 15-12-806Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 4 months to 6 months.
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How Much Can an Executor Charge?
Colorado pays executors reasonable compensationC.R.S. § 15-10-602 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, typically 2.2%Estimated from the 16 state statutes that set an executor fee schedule (median and interquartile range at this estate value)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.8%Estimated from the 16 state statutes that set an executor fee schedule (median and interquartile range at this estate value)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate.
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Do I Need Probate?
In Colorado, estates with personal property of $88,000C.R.S. § 15-12-1201Verified Sep 8, 2026View source or less skip probate with the Collection of Personal Property by AffidavitC.R.S. § 15-12-1201Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, 10 daysC.R.S. § 15-12-1201Verified Sep 8, 2026View source after death.
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What Are the Creditor Claim Deadlines?
In Colorado, creditors have 4 monthsC.R.S. § 15-12-801(1) (4 months from first publication); § 15-12-803(1)(a)(III) (one-year-from-death outer bar)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source from first publication of the creditor notice to present claims; late claims are barred.
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Can I Self-File Probate?
In Colorado, informal probate is availableC.R.S. § 15-12-301Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, and a self-represented executor can usually handle it for a simple, uncontested estate.
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