Colorado Inheritance: Plan an Estate or Settle One

Colorado has adopted the Uniform Probate Code, has enacted the Uniform Trust CodeC.R.S. § 15-5-101 et seq.Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, and has adopted the Uniform Power of Attorney ActC.R.S. § 15-14-705 (execution); § 15-14-704 (durability); § 15-14-706 (validity/choice of law); § 15-14-707 (choice of law); § 15-14-709 (springing); § 15-14-713 (agent acceptance); § 15-14-719-720 (third-party protections); § 15-14-724 (hot powers); § 15-14-741 (statutory form); § 15-14-742 (agent certification); § 38-30-123 (mandatory recording of POA used to convey real property); § 38-30-124 (acknowledgment of real-property POA, permissive); § 38-35-109(1) (race-notice recording); § 13-22-101 (age of majority 18)Verified Sep 18, 2026View source.

Probate of a simple estate in Colorado runs 4 months to 6 months; an average estate takes 6 months to 9 months. The court filing fee is $229CO Judicial Branch List of Fees (probate); C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(b), (7); HB 24-1286. Verified 2026-10-17 against CRS 2026 Title 13 and the live CO Judicial Branch List of FeesVerified Sep 8, 2026View source; attorney fees are reasonable compensationC.R.S. § 15-10-602 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source; executor compensation typically runs 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. On a $500,000 estate the estimated total comes to $26,082C.R.S. § 15-10-602 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Informal, unsupervised probate is availableC.R.S. § 15-12-301Verified Sep 8, 2026View source for uncontested estates.

Certified death certificates come from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment - Vital RecordsColorado Department of Public Health and Environment - Vital RecordsVerified Oct 15, 2026View source at $25Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment - Vital RecordsVerified Oct 15, 2026View source a copy, $20Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment - Vital RecordsVerified Oct 15, 2026View source for each additional copy ordered with it. Processing time: 30 business days for online ordersColorado Department of Public Health and Environment - Vital RecordsVerified Oct 15, 2026View source. Once appointed, the personal representative files the estate inventory within 90 daysC.R.S. § 15-12-706Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment and publishes the notice to creditors for 3C.R.S. §§ 15-12-801, 15-12-803, 15-12-805, 15-12-806Verified Oct 18, 2026View source consecutive weeks.

A surviving spouse left out of the will can elect to take a statutory share insteadC.R.S. §§ 15-11-202, 15-11-203Verified Sep 15, 2026View source. The family allowance during administration is capped at $44,000C.R.S. § 15-11-404Verified Sep 15, 2026View source. Property left to a minor under the Uniform Transfers to Minors Act is released at 21 yearsC.R.S. § 11-50-121Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of age. Colorado taxes incomeC.R.S. § 39-22-104(1.7)(c); § 39-22-627 (temporary TABOR rate reductions)Verified Sep 20, 2026View source at a flat 4.4%C.R.S. § 39-22-104(1.7)(c); § 39-22-627 (temporary TABOR rate reductions)Verified Sep 20, 2026View source. An heir's capital gains on inherited assets: 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.