Nolo was born in 1971 as a publisher of self-help legal books. Guided by the motto “law for all,” our attorney authors and editors have been explaining the law to everyday people ever since. Learn more about our history and our editorial standards.
Each article that we publish has been written or reviewed by one of our editors, who together have over 100 years of experience practicing law. We strive to keep our information current as laws change. Learn more about our editorial standards.
If you're a resident of Colorado and trying to decide whether you need a living trust, you might be wondering what to take into consideration. What happens to your property under Colorado laws if you don't have a trust? When might you want a living trust? How do you make a living trust? Below is an introduction to what a living trust does and a discussion of whether it makes sense for your situation.
A "living" trust (also called an "inter vivos" trust) is simply a trust you create while you're alive. The beneficiaries you name in your living trust receive the trust property when you die. You could instead use a will, but wills must go through probate—the court process that oversees the transfer of your property to your beneficiaries.
Many people create a revocable living trust as part of their estate plan. These trusts can be modified or revoked at any time. Typically, you'll name yourself as the "trustee" of your trust. This means that while you are alive, you retain control of the trust and its property. In your trust document, you will also name a "successor trustee" to take over and manage the trust (distribute your property) after you die. (If you create a shared living trust, as is often done by spouses, then your successor trustee would assume control after both spouses have died.)
In contrast, irrevocable trusts can't be revoked or modified after they are signed. Irrevocable trusts can be useful tools for specific goals, like reducing taxes, but they require giving up ownership and control of trust property.
When you set up a living trust to transfer your property to your loved ones after your death, you can potentially save them time, hassle, and money. Property left through a will (rather than a living trust) might be tied up for months or even years in probate court, and could involve significant court costs and lawyers' fees. By contrast, property left through a trust can be distributed to your beneficiaries almost immediately, and often without the need for an attorney.
However, Colorado is one of the states that has adopted the Uniform Probate Code, a model law that streamlines the probate process. In other words, probate in Colorado might not be quite as cumbersome as it is in other states.
In addition, Colorado offers simplified probate processes for "small" estates. When assessing the value of your estate, note that certain types of property, such as pay-on-death bank accounts, don't count toward that valuation because they're exempt from probate in the first place. (See How to Avoid Probate.) Colorado has two types of small estate procedures:
Because Colorado's probate process is more streamlined, you might not need to worry about making a living trust just to avoid probate. Still, there are a few other advantages of making a living trust. (See Living Trust vs. Will.)
In Colorado, you can also transfer real property using a transfer-on-death deed (more commonly called a beneficiary deed in Colorado). This tool can keep your home out of probate without using a living trust. (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 15-15-402 (2024).)
Yes, you'll still need a will. This might seem confusing—isn't the point of a living trust to avoid needing a will? Yes, it is, and your will might never be used. But you should still write one, for one or both of the following reasons:
If you don't have a will, any property that isn't transferred by your living trust or other method (such as joint tenancy) will go to your closest relatives as determined by Colorado state law.
Probably not. Most people don't need to worry about federal estate taxes because the federal estate tax is levied only on estates worth more than $13.61 million (for deaths in 2024). Colorado doesn't have its own estate tax.
That said, if you have an estate worth more than $13.61 million—or you and your spouse or partner have a combined estate of close to $27.22 million—you might be able to use a more complicated trust (such as an AB trust) to reduce or avoid estate taxes.
To make a living trust in Colorado, you:
You can use WillMaker & Trust to make a living trust using your computer. It has a simple interview format that allows you to complete the trust at your own pace, and it gives you lots of legal and practical help along the way.
Based on your responses, the program produces a living trust document customized for you and your situation. With WillMaker & Trust, you can also make a will, powers of attorney, health care directives, transfer on death deeds, and many other useful documents. Use it just for yourself or for your entire family.
For more on Colorado estate planning issues, see Colorado Estate Planning.