LDLawyer Denver

Practice area guide

Estate Planning

Wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and probate under the Colorado Probate Code.

What estate planning covers

Estate planning documents let you decide who receives your assets, who raises your minor children, and who makes financial and medical decisions if you become incapacitated. Core Colorado documents: last will and testament, revocable living trust, financial power of attorney, medical power of attorney (medical durable POA), advance directive (living will), and HIPAA authorization. Related work includes trust funding, beneficiary designation review, business succession, and probate administration.

When to hire an estate planning attorney

Any of these: you own a home in Colorado, you have minor children, you have retirement accounts over about $250,000, you own a business, you have children from a prior relationship, you own real estate in more than one state, or you would prefer that your family not go through probate.

What to look for in a Denver estate planning lawyer

  • Dedicated practice. Estate planning done as a side practice is often outdated. Look for a firm that does only wills, trusts, and probate.
  • Trust funding follow-through. A trust that is drafted but never funded provides zero benefit. Confirm the firm handles funding, not just drafting.
  • Ongoing review. Colorado tax law, federal estate tax exemptions, and your family change. Ask whether the firm offers periodic reviews.
  • Probate experience. If your lawyer has never administered a Colorado estate, they may miss practical drafting issues.
  • Clear, plain-English documents. Ask to see a sample will.

Typical costs

Estate planning in Denver is almost always flat-fee.

  • Simple will-based plan (will, POAs, advance directive) — single: $500 – $1,500.
  • Simple will-based plan — married couple: $800 – $2,500.
  • Revocable living trust plan — single: $1,800 – $4,000.
  • Revocable living trust plan — married couple: $2,500 – $6,000.
  • More complex plans (irrevocable trusts, SLATs, business succession): $5,000 – $25,000+.
  • Uncontested probate administration in Denver Probate Court: $2,500 – $10,000 or 1–3% of the estate.