Serves La Plata, Archuleta, Montezuma, Dolores, San Juan, Mineral, Alamosa, and San Miguel counties from Durango. Handles probate, ancillary probate for out-of-state estates with Colorado assets, small estate administration, trust administration, will contests, and trust and probate administration disputes. Lynne Bruzzese brings three decades of litigation experience.
Durango is in La Plata County.
Probate in La Plata County
Probate Court Record
La Plata County Combined Court
La Plata County · 6th Judicial District
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 7:30 AM-4:30 PM
Office
1060 East Second Avenue, Suite 106, Durango, CO 81301
Website
E-filing
Filing in person
Walk-ins accepted
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
How to file probate in La Plata County →
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
Do I need a lawyer for probate in La Plata County? →Settling an estate in La Plata County →
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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Free
Pour-Over Will
In Colorado, a pour-over will is signed before 2C.R.S. § 15-11-502Verified Oct 18, 2026View source witnesses and moves anything left outside the trust into it through probate.
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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 Do I Settle a Trust?
Settling a trust in Colorado happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's Uniform Trust CodeC.R.S. § 15-5-101 et seq.Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries within 60 daysC.R.S. § 15-5-813Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
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What's Fair Trustee Compensation?
In Colorado, trustee compensation follows "reasonable compensation" (UTC § 708 or equivalent)Colo. Rev. Stat. § 15-5-708Verified Sep 18, 2026View source unless the trust instrument sets a different amount.
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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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Do I Have to File Tax Returns for Someone Who Died?
Colorado requires a final state income tax return for the decedent alongside the federal Form 1040C.R.S. § 39-22-104(1.7)(c); § 39-22-627 (temporary TABOR rate reductions)Verified Sep 20, 2026View source; a federal estate tax return (Form 706) is required only for estates above $15,000,00026 USC 2001(c), 2010; P.L. 119-21 §70106Verified Sep 15, 2026View source.
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How Does Step-Up in Basis Work?
Inherited assets in Colorado take a basis reset to fair market value on the date of death26 USC § 1014Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, and the gain on a later sale faces ordinary income tax at the state's regular ratesC.R.S. § 39-22-518 — "Tax modification for net capital gains" (as narrowed by HB21-1311 § 8, eff. TY2022)Verified Sep 15, 2026View source.
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