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Colorado Personal Representative Duties

A Colorado personal representative is a fiduciary who must notify interested parties (within 30 days of appointment), inventory the estate's assets (within 90 days), give notice to creditors and handle their claims, pay valid debts and taxes, and distribute what remains before closing the estate.

By Find Local Law Editorial Team · Last reviewed: May 24, 2026

Researched and drafted with AI assistance and verified against primary sources (statutes, Judicial Council forms, and official court websites). This is general information, not legal advice.

In Colorado, the person who settles an estate is the personal representative (the term for an executor or administrator). It’s a fiduciary role — you must act in the estate’s and beneficiaries’ best interests.

Core duties, in order

  1. Get appointed through informal or formal probate and receive Letters.
  2. Give notice to interested parties — within 30 days of appointment (Colorado form JDF 940).
  3. Inventory the assets — file an inventory within 90 days (form JDF 941), valuing the property.
  4. Notify creditors and handle claims — publish and/or mail notice to creditors, then review and pay or reject claims.
  5. Pay debts and taxes — settle valid claims and any final taxes before distributing.
  6. Distribute and close — give the remaining property to the heirs or beneficiaries and close the estate.

The creditor deadlines

Creditors generally must present claims within four months of the first published notice — and in no event later than one year after the date of death, regardless of notice (C.R.S. §15-12-801, §15-12-803). That one-year bar is a firm cutoff that protects the estate.

Personal liability

Because it’s a fiduciary role, a personal representative can be personally liable for mismanaging assets, self-dealing, or paying out beneficiaries before debts and taxes are handled. That exposure — plus the deadlines — is why many representatives hire counsel. See do you need a lawyer and costs. To get matched with a local attorney, connect with a lawyer.

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Frequently asked questions

What does a personal representative do in Colorado?
After being appointed, they notify interested parties (within 30 days), take control of and inventory the assets (within 90 days), publish/serve notice to creditors, pay valid debts and taxes, and distribute the estate to the heirs or beneficiaries — all as a fiduciary.
How long do creditors have to make a claim?
Generally four months after the first published notice to creditors, but no later than one year after the date of death regardless of notice (C.R.S. §15-12-801 and §15-12-803). The one-year bar is a hard cutoff.
What are the key deadlines?
Notice to interested parties within 30 days of appointment (Colorado form JDF 940), and an inventory within 90 days (JDF 941). The estate generally stays open at least through the 4-month creditor period.
Can a personal representative be held liable?
Yes. A personal representative is a fiduciary and can be personally liable for mismanaging the estate, self-dealing, or distributing assets before debts and taxes are paid.

Sources

Related guides

  • Colorado Probate Costs & Fees Colorado does not set probate attorney or personal-representative fees as a percentage of the estate. Instead, both are entitled to reasonable compensation (C.R.S. §15-10-602), judged by factors like time and complexity. On top of fees, expect a court filing fee (about $229 to open a standard decedent's estate as of early 2025) plus costs like publication and appraisals.
  • Colorado Small Estate Affidavit If a Colorado estate's personal property is at or under the inflation-adjusted limit — $88,000 for deaths in 2026 — heirs can collect it using a Collection of Personal Property by Affidavit, with no court case, once 10 days have passed since the death. It can't be used to transfer real estate.
  • Do You Need a Lawyer for Colorado Probate? Colorado doesn't require a lawyer for probate, and its informal probate process is relatively DIY-friendly with the Judicial Branch's self-help forms. But because Colorado attorneys charge reasonable (often hourly) fees rather than a percentage, hiring counsel is usually worth it for formal probate, disputes, real estate, or larger estates.
  • The Colorado Probate Process: Informal vs. Formal Colorado offers three paths to settle an estate: a small-estate affidavit (no court case), informal probate handled by a registrar with no hearing, and formal probate before a judge when there's a dispute. Most cases are filed in the county District Court — except in Denver, which has its own Probate Court.

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