How probate works in Larimer County: the Combined Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Larimer County · 8th Judicial District
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About the court
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
Probate is the court-supervised process of settling someone's estate after they die — validating the will, paying debts and taxes, and transferring what's left to the heirs. In Larimer County, probate runs through the Combined Court at 201 LaPorte Avenue, Suite 100, Fort Collins. The court sits in the 8th Judicial District. The same 8th Judicial District also serves Jackson.
The personal representative opens the case, gives notice to heirs and creditors, files an inventory of the estate's assets, settles outstanding debts and taxes, and then distributes the remainder under the will — or under Colorado intestacy law when there is no will.
Most Colorado estates take 6 months to 9 months to move through this process. Creditors have 4 monthsC.R.S. §§ 15-12-801, 15-12-803, 15-12-805, 15-12-806Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the first publication of the notice to creditors.
What probate costs in Larimer County, Colorado comes down to a handful of line items — the court filing fee, attorney and executor compensation, publication, and sometimes a bond — scaled by the estate's size and whether the will is contested. The case itself runs through the Combined Court at 201 LaPorte Avenue, Suite 100, Fort Collins. The court is part of the 8th Judicial District.
Colorado charges $229CO Judicial Branch List of Fees (probate); C.R.S. § 13-32-102(1)(b), (7); HB 24-1286Verified Oct 17, 2026View source to open probate, the same in every county. Additional filings during administration — inventory, accounting, the final petition — add to the total.
Estimate the costs for this estate:
Attorney fees in Colorado are negotiated, typically 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 estate value. Flat-fee arrangements are common for straightforward estates.
Colorado allows executors 'reasonable compensation' — around 2.2%–3.8% of a $500,000 estate, judging by what the states with statutory schedules payC.R.S. § 15-10-602 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
Colorado requires publishing notice to creditors in a local newspaper, and the estate pays for it.
Probate in Colorado typically runs 6 months to 9 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
Probate cases in Larimer County, Colorado are filed at the Combined Court. The court sits in the 8th Judicial District.
Beside the filing office, the court lists separate lines for Records, Collections, and Loveland County Court.
The Court Resource Center beside the clerk's office helps people without a lawyer find and complete court forms and understand procedure.
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.
For a full cost comparison and filing checklist, see the Larimer County Self-Filing Assessment.
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Self-represented filers file on paper
A filer without a lawyer files probate papers on paper with the clerk, and court staff scan them into the case record.
SourceFiled with the opening petition at the Combined Court: Original will and any codicils (lodged/deposited with the court) (C.R.S. §§ 15-11-515 "Deposit of will with court in testator's lifetime", 15-11-516 "Duty of custodian of will; lodging of will after death"); Acceptance of Appointment (JDF 911); Proposed order submitted with the application/petition: informal JDF 913 (with a will) / JDF 917 (no will); formal JDF 921 (with a will) / JDF 923 (no will); Renunciation and/or Nomination of Personal Representative where a higher-priority person yields (JDF 912)C.R.S. §§ 15-12-301 to 15-12-311 (informal probate & appointment); §§ 15-12-401 to 15-12-414 (formal); § 15-12-701 et seq. (powers / Letters as proof of authority)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
Clearing title to real estate after a death, whether by a personal representative’s deed, an affidavit of survivorship, or a court order, happens at the County Clerk and Recorder.
Deeds and other real property documents for Larimer County are recorded with the County Clerk and Recorder at 200 West Oak Street, First Floor, Fort Collins, CO 80521. Phone: 1-970-498-7860. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM.
The County Clerk and Recorder charges $43 flat, regardless of page count.
Larimer County accepts electronic recording through CSC, ePN and Simplifile.
Recording Office Record
Larimer County
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Recording fees
| Flat fee (any length) | $43 |
| Transfer tax on a TOD deed | TOD deeds are exempt from transfer tax |
CRS 30-1-103(1) (recording fee, $40 flat); CRS 30-10-421(1)(b) (filing surcharge, $1); CRS 24-21-403(2) (electronic recording technology board surcharge, up to $2); CRS 39-13-102 (documentary fee); HB24-1269 (flat fee amendment)
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Colorado allows informal probate, so many families settle straightforward estates in Larimer County without hiring an attorney. A probate attorney earns the fee when the estate is contested, includes a business or out-of-state real estate, has unclear or insolvent debts, or when beneficiaries disagree.
Probate attorney fees in Colorado are based on reasonable compensation, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask a Larimer County firm to quote a structure up front.
A probate attorney files the petition with the Combined Court, publishes the required creditor notices, prepares the inventory and accounting, handles creditor claims and tax filings, and guides the final distribution. They represent the personal representative — not the beneficiaries — a distinction that matters if a dispute develops.
Solo PracticeFort Collins, CO
Serves Greeley, Loveland, and Fort Collins from a Fort Collins office. Attorney Margaret Althoff limits the practice to wills, trusts, probate, and estate administration, and handles probate and trust administration after a death. The firm does not practice elder law.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbate
FirmFort Collins, CO
Serves Larimer and Weld counties from a Fort Collins office. Guides personal representatives through Colorado probate filings, creditor notice, and asset distribution, handles trust administration, and litigates contested wills and trusts. Also practices business law, immigration, and personal injury.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 4 more
Solo PracticeFort Collins, CO
Serves Northern Colorado from Fort Collins, including Loveland, Windsor, Greeley, Severance, Longmont, and Broomfield. Attorney Charles C. Tucker, practicing in northern Colorado since 2002, focuses on estate planning and administration and probate, with an active subspecialty in planning for owners of businesses, rental properties, and agricultural properties.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateBusiness LawReal Estate
FirmGreeley, CO
Serves Weld, Larimer, Boulder, and Adams counties from Greeley. Handles probate administration, will validation, asset inventories, debt settlement, and distribution to heirs, plus guardianships and conservatorships, and drafts wills, trusts, and powers of attorney, alongside family law. Owner Brynne Gant serves regularly as a court-appointed fiduciary.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateConservatorshipGuardianshipand 2 more
Solo PracticeLoveland, CO
Serves Larimer County from Loveland. Attorney Jill Gookin guides personal representatives and beneficiaries through probate and drafts wills, trusts, and estate plans, including trusts that provide for pets. Offers a free initial consultation, scheduled as a 15-minute phone call.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateBusiness LawCriminal Defense
Solo PracticeLoveland, CO
Serves Larimer and Weld counties from Loveland, including Fort Collins, Estes Park, Berthoud, Greeley, and Johnstown. Represents personal representatives and family members through probate, including creditor claims, will contests, breach of fiduciary duty claims, and challenges to a personal representative's appointment. Also drafts wills and trusts.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationBusiness Lawand 3 more
Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to verify their current practice areas and availability.
Data sourced from Colorado statutes and official state code. Fee percentages are modeled estimates; each figure's note says how. How we research.
Free tools for settling an estate in Colorado: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines, and inheritance taxes.
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.
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.
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.
Browse vetted Colorado attorneys handling probate matters.
Each institution has a separate death claim process. Find yours below.
Get a complete guide for your specific circumstances.
Enter the estate value to see Colorado attorney fees, executor fees, court costs and the timeline.
General information about probate costs, not legal or financial advice. Fee bases vary by state and may use gross estate, personal property, inventory value or net property after debts. Actual costs vary by county, attorney and estate complexity. Consult a licensed attorney for legal questions.
Enter the estate value to see whether Colorado lets a self-represented person open probate, what the court requires, and what each route costs.
General information about filing probate without a lawyer, not legal advice. Both routes are priced by the probate cost estimator on the same estate; the attorney fee is the one line that differs. Actual costs vary by county, attorney and estate complexity. Consult a licensed attorney for legal questions.
