Free Colorado Transfer on Death Deed

In Colorado, a beneficiary deed is signed before a notary, then recorded with the county before the owner's death.

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Owner Information

Enter your information as the property owner (transferor). If the property is jointly owned, you’ll add the second owner below.

How is the property owned?*

Choose “Jointly owned” if two people are on the title (e.g. spouses as joint tenants or tenants by the entirety). Both owners must sign.

I am the sole ownerJointly owned with one other person

First Name*

Middle Name

Last Name*

Street Address*

City*

State*

ZIP Code*

State Where Property Is Located*

County Where Property Is Located*

Email Address*

Phone Number*

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Colorado provides a statutory form, and a deed in substantially that form is accepted. The deed must contain the words "conveys on death" or "transfers on death", or otherwise indicate that the transfer is effective on the death of the owner (C.R.S. 15-15-404(1)).

A Colorado beneficiary deed is recorded with the County Clerk and Recorder for the county where the property sits and must be on record before the owner's death to take effect. The deed must be recorded in the county where the property is located before the grantor's death.

Co-owners may sign one deed together. Colorado's homestead exemption arises automatically (C.R.S. 38-41-201, 38-41-202(1)) and carries no signature requirement: property homesteaded solely by that automatic operation may be conveyed or encumbered by the owner alone, free and clear of all homestead rights (C.R.S. 38-41-202(3)).

Colorado lapses the share of a beneficiary who dies before the owner. The deed can name a successor beneficiary to take in that case. Anti-lapse statutes do not apply to this deed. If a grantee-beneficiary does not survive the grantor and this deed designates a successor grantee-beneficiary for that share, the successor grantee-beneficiary takes it.

The beneficiary takes the property subject to the mortgages, liens and other encumbrances on it at death. C.R.S. 15-15-403: A Medicaid applicant or recipient with a beneficiary deed in effect is not entitled to medical assistance; execution of a beneficiary deed causes the property to be considered a countable resource per C.R.S. 25.5-4-302(6). The deed moves this parcel alone; a revocable living trust set up with SimplyTrust carries the rest of the estate.

Colorado Transfer on Death Deed

Colorado authorizes transfer on death deeds: a property owner names a beneficiary who receives the property at death — bypassing probate entirely for that asset. The owner retains full control during their lifetime, including the right to revoke the deed at any time.

Without a TOD deed, real property in Colorado passes through probate — a process that takes at least 4 months for simple estates. A TOD deed removes that property from the probate estate entirely. Estates under $88,000 may qualify for simplified procedures, but a TOD deed avoids the process altogether. See the full cost breakdown with the probate calculator.

TOD deeds are a focused tool — one deed per property, covering only real estate. A revocable trust handles all assets and provides incapacity planning as well. The trust vs. will tool compares the two approaches side by side.

SimplyTrust Editorial·Updated October 17, 2026

Legal Sources

Data sourced from Colorado statutes and official state code. How we research.

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Free Colorado Transfer on Death Deed

In Colorado, a beneficiary deed is signed before a notary, then recorded with the county before the owner's death.

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Colorado Transfer on Death Deed

Free Colorado Transfer on Death Deed

Owner Information

Is this your situation?

New Home

Retirement

Forms for Planning Your Estate in Colorado

Healthcare Power of Attorney

Financial Power of Attorney

Vehicle Transfer on Death

Living Will

Last Will and Testament

Tools for Planning Your Estate in Colorado

Do I Need a TOD Deed?

Do I Need a Vehicle TOD?

What Does Estate Planning Actually Cost?

How Much Life Insurance Do I Need?

Are My Beneficiary Designations Protected?

How Do I Sign Estate Documents?

Will My Estate Documents Transfer?

How Much Does Probate Cost?

When you're ready, we're here.

Colorado Estate Planning Resources

Free Colorado Transfer on Death Deed

Owner Information