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First Steps After a Death in Colorado

A practical sequence for the first days and weeks after a death, focused on Colorado estate administration touchpoints.

Get Death CertificatesDo I Need Probate?

Use this timeline to handle immediate post-death tasks in the right order before you move into probate, asset transfer, or executor paperwork.

Some tasks can wait a few days. Prioritize safety, family needs, the original will, and certified death certificates.

Source Notes

If You Are the Named Executor in Colorado

If you are the named executor, personal representative, administrator, or the family member organizing a Colorado estate, start with the state-specific records, court, and transfer tasks below. Check each step against the current county office or agency handling the estate.

  1. Locate the original will and lodge it within 10 days

    Colorado law requires the custodian of a will to deliver it, within ten days after the death or as soon as the death becomes known to the custodian, to the court having probate jurisdiction in the county where the decedent lived (C.R.S. 15-11-516). Lodging the will is not the same as opening probate; it simply places the will in the court's records. Also look for codicils, trusts, deeds, vehicle titles, account statements, and life insurance policies.

  2. Order certified death certificates

    Certified copies are issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) Vital Records office and by county vital records offices. As of January 1, 2026, a certified death certificate costs $25 for the first copy and $20 for each additional copy on the same order. The funeral home usually orders them for you. Order more than you think you need - banks, insurers, the DMV, and the court all ask for one.

  3. Identify the proper court

    Probate is handled by the District Court of the county where the decedent lived, within one of Colorado's 23 judicial districts. The one exception is the City and County of Denver, which has a standalone Denver Probate Court with exclusive jurisdiction over probate matters. Venue for the first proceeding is the county of the decedent's domicile or residence at death (C.R.S. 15-12-201).

  4. Make a first asset and debt list

    Separate probate assets (solely owned) from nonprobate assets such as joint survivorship accounts, beneficiary-designated accounts, life insurance, beneficiary deeds, and trust property. This list becomes the basis for the inventory and for deciding whether probate is needed.

  5. Determine whether probate is needed - small estate vs. full administration

    If the fair market value of all property subject to probate, less liens and encumbrances, is within the small estate limit ($88,000 for deaths in 2026, adjusted each year for inflation under C.R.S. 15-10-112), at least ten days have passed since the death, and no personal representative has been appointed or applied for, a successor can collect personal property with a small estate affidavit (C.R.S. 15-12-1201, court form JDF 999). The affidavit covers personal property only, not real estate. For vehicles, the Colorado DMV requires its own affidavit, form DR 2712, instead of JDF 999.

Timeline of Tasks

First 24 to 72 Hours

Get a legal pronouncement and arrange for the body
A medical professional must pronounce the death. If death was expected under hospice, the hospice nurse can usually pronounce; if unexpected, call 911. Then choose a licensed Colorado funeral home or cremation provider to transport and care for your loved one.
Secure the home and valuables
Lock the residence, keep utilities and insurance active, and avoid distributing property until authority and ownership are clear. Even assets that pass outside probate still need to be protected until the right recipient is confirmed.
Locate the original will and lodge it within 10 days
Colorado law requires the custodian of a will to deliver it, within ten days after the death or as soon as the death becomes known to the custodian, to the court having probate jurisdiction in the county where the decedent lived (C.R.S. 15-11-516). Lodging the will is not the same as opening probate; it simply places the will in the court's records. Also look for codicils, trusts, deeds, vehicle titles, account statements, and life insurance policies.

First Week

Order certified death certificates
Certified copies are issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) Vital Records office and by county vital records offices. As of January 1, 2026, a certified death certificate costs $25 for the first copy and $20 for each additional copy on the same order. The funeral home usually orders them for you. Order more than you think you need - banks, insurers, the DMV, and the court all ask for one.
Identify the proper court
Probate is handled by the District Court of the county where the decedent lived, within one of Colorado's 23 judicial districts. The one exception is the City and County of Denver, which has a standalone Denver Probate Court with exclusive jurisdiction over probate matters. Venue for the first proceeding is the county of the decedent's domicile or residence at death (C.R.S. 15-12-201).
Make a first asset and debt list
Separate probate assets (solely owned) from nonprobate assets such as joint survivorship accounts, beneficiary-designated accounts, life insurance, beneficiary deeds, and trust property. This list becomes the basis for the inventory and for deciding whether probate is needed.

First Month

Determine whether probate is needed - small estate vs. full administration
If the fair market value of all property subject to probate, less liens and encumbrances, is within the small estate limit ($88,000 for deaths in 2026, adjusted each year for inflation under C.R.S. 15-10-112), at least ten days have passed since the death, and no personal representative has been appointed or applied for, a successor can collect personal property with a small estate affidavit (C.R.S. 15-12-1201, court form JDF 999). The affidavit covers personal property only, not real estate. For vehicles, the Colorado DMV requires its own affidavit, form DR 2712, instead of JDF 999.
Open informal or formal probate and get letters
Most Colorado estates use informal probate: an application to the court's registrar (C.R.S. 15-12-301) that does not require a hearing. Formal probate (C.R.S. 15-12-401) is a court proceeding used when the will's validity, heirship, or the appointment is disputed or unclear. Either path ends with the court issuing letters (letters testamentary or letters of administration) that prove the personal representative's authority.
Get an EIN and open an estate bank account
Apply for a free estate EIN from the IRS, then open a bank account in the estate's name (for example, 'Estate of Jane Doe'). Keep estate money completely separate from personal money and keep receipts for every payment and distribution.
Send notice of appointment to heirs and devisees within 30 days
Not later than 30 days after appointment, the personal representative must give information of the appointment to the heirs and devisees, delivered or sent by ordinary mail (C.R.S. 15-12-705). The notice must include the personal representative's name, address, and date of appointment, the date of death, and whether the estate is testate or intestate.

Ongoing Administration

Prepare the inventory within 3 months
Within three months after appointment, the personal representative must prepare an inventory of probate property with date-of-death fair market values and any encumbrances (C.R.S. 15-12-706). The inventory is sent to interested persons who request it, or the original can be filed with the court.
Publish notice to creditors and track the claim bar dates
Unless a year or more has already passed since the death, the personal representative publishes a notice to creditors in a county newspaper at least once a week for three successive calendar weeks (C.R.S. 15-12-801). The published bar date must be no earlier than four months after first publication or one year after death, whichever occurs first. Regardless of notice, all claims that arose before death are barred one year after the date of death (C.R.S. 15-12-803).
Notify Social Security, banks, and insurers, and file required tax returns
Report the death to the Social Security Administration (1-800-772-1213), notify each bank and brokerage, and file life insurance claims. Review the decedent's final federal Form 1040 and Colorado individual income tax return, fiduciary returns if the estate earns income, and federal Form 706 only if the estate exceeds the federal exemption. Colorado has no state estate or inheritance tax for current deaths.
Close the estate by sworn closing statement
In unsupervised administration, the personal representative can close the estate by filing a verified closing statement no earlier than six months after the original appointment or one year after the date of death, whichever occurs first (C.R.S. 15-12-1003). If no proceedings are pending one year after the closing statement is filed, the appointment terminates automatically.

Who to Notify

Keep this list handy as you work through notifications.

Social Security Administration
Call 1-800-772-1213
Employer / HR Department
Phone call or email
Banks & Credit Unions
Visit branch with death certificate
Insurance Companies
Call policy customer service
Credit Card Companies
Call number on card
Utility Companies
Call to transfer or cancel
DMV / Vehicle Registration
Visit in person or online
Post Office
Submit change of address form

Documents to Gather

Gather these documents as soon as possible.

Death Certificates

Many estates start with 10-15 certified copies because banks, insurers, property-transfer contacts, and agencies may ask for them.

How to get death certificates →

Will & Trust Documents

Look in safe deposit boxes, home safes, attorney files, and records folders.

Probate guide →

Financial Statements

Bank statements, investment accounts, retirement accounts, and recent tax returns.

Asset transfer guide →

What Comes Next?

After the first 30 days, you may need to start probate or transfer assets. Use the national assessment for planning, then verify the next step locally.

Take the Probate AssessmentRead the Colorado Probate Guide