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.
Probate in El Paso County
Probate Court Record
El Paso County District Court
El Paso County · 4th Judicial District
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 7:30 AM-4:30 PM
Office
270 South Tejon Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Website
E-filing
Filing in person
Walk-ins accepted
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
How to file probate in El Paso County →
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
Do I need a lawyer for probate in El Paso County? →Settling an estate in El Paso County →
Trust Administration Firms Serving El Paso County
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.
Serves clients throughout Colorado from a Denver office. Practice is limited to elder law, estate planning, probate and trust administration, and probate litigation, including will contests, breach of fiduciary duty, and contested guardianships and conservatorships. Schedules phone appointments for out-of-state clients dealing with a Colorado estate.
Serves Jefferson County, the Denver metro area, and clients statewide from Lakewood. Handles probate and estate administration and trust administration for personal representatives, trustees, and beneficiaries, guardianships and conservatorships, and flat-rate wills, trusts, and powers of attorney. Offers estate planning discounts for couples, clients over 80, and military and first responders.
All 17 Colorado trust administration firms serving El Paso 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.
$12/month
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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