Serves Eagle, Summit, Lake, and Clear Creek counties from Minturn. Attorney Melissa Decker handles probate paperwork and accounting for personal representatives, and prepares wills, trusts, durable medical powers of attorney, and living wills. Posts hourly rates of $175 to $225 for legal services.
Probate in Summit County
Probate Court Record
Summit County Combined Court
Summit County · 5th Judicial District
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Office
501 North Park Avenue, Breckenridge, CO 80424
Website
E-filing
Filing in person
Walk-ins accepted
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
How to file probate in Summit County →
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
Do I need a lawyer for probate in Summit County? →Settling an estate in Summit County →
Probate Firms Serving Summit County
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.
Serves clients throughout Colorado from an Arvada office, including Sterling, Wray, Burlington, La Junta, and Ouray. A Probate and Trust Administration Department led by attorney Caroline Poole guides families through probate and trust settlement, alongside estate, business succession, elder law, and special needs planning. Founded in 1990; initial meetings are free.
Serves clients statewide from a Denver office. Handles probate administration, determination of heirs, will contests and estate and trust litigation, trust administration, and guardianships and conservatorships, plus estate planning and elder law. The first call is at no cost, by phone or Zoom.
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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