Estate plan

Colorado

Everything to plan your estate in Colorado: execution requirements, the documents we generate, statutory citations, and the exact wording our generators insert.

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Will, living trust, durable power of attorney, and healthcare directive. All four documents, all valid in Colorado, all for $29/year.

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Colorado content last reviewed May 18, 2026.

Will

2W

Trust

—

POA

—

HC Directive

2W

E-will

Adopted

Since 2021

RON

Since 2020

Remote online notarization

ROW

Some documents

Remote online witnessing

Community property

No

Minimum age

18

NW + N = N witnesses + notarizationNW = N witnesses, no notarizationN = notarization, no witnesses— = no formal requirements
1

Will

Colo. Rev. Stat. §15-11-501 et seq.

Witnesses: 2 required

Two witnesses must sign within reasonable time after witnessing testator's signing or acknowledgment. Colorado also accepts notarization as an alternative to witnesses.

Notarization: Recommended

Not legally required, but recommended for self-proving affidavit

Holographic will: Valid

Handwritten wills without witnesses are recognized in Colorado

Self-proving affidavit: Available

Allows the will to be admitted to probate without witness testimony

2

Living Trust

Witnesses: None required

No formal execution requirements beyond settlor signature; notarization strongly recommended when funding real property

Notarization: Recommended

Not legally required for the trust document, but needed to transfer real property

3

Colorado Statutory Form Power of Attorney

Colo. Rev. Stat. §15-14-741 (optional safe-harbor form, Part 7 of Article 14 of Title 15 — Uniform Power of Attorney Act, §§15-14-701 through 15-14-745)

Witnesses: None required

No witnesses required for power of attorney

Notarization: Not required

Notarization is not required but may be recommended

State-specific notes

•Notarization not strictly required for validity, but creates a presumption of genuineness under Colo. Rev. Stat. §15-14-705 and is required for the POA to be recordable in a county clerk and recorder's office.
•Durability is presumed unless the instrument states otherwise
•Third parties presented with an acknowledged POA are generally required to accept it; §15-14-719 and §15-14-720 provide a good-faith reliance presumption and a damages remedy for unjustified refusal (with statutory safe harbors for refusal)
ViewStatutory warning notice
IMPORTANT INFORMATION This power of attorney authorizes another person (your agent) to make decisions concerning your property for you (the principal). Your agent will be able to make decisions and act with respect to your property (including your money) whether or not you are able to act for yourself. The meaning of authority over subjects listed on this form is explained in the "Uniform Power of Attorney Act", part 7 of article 14 of title 15, Colorado Revised Statutes. This power of attorney does not authorize the agent to make health care decisions for you. You should select someone you trust to serve as your agent. Unless you specify otherwise, generally the agent's authority will continue until you die or revoke the power of attorney or the agent resigns or is unable to act for you. Your agent is entitled to reasonable compensation unless you state otherwise in the special instructions. This form provides for designation of one agent. If you wish to name more than one agent you may name a coagent in the special instructions. Coagents are not required to act together unless you include that requirement in the special instructions. If your agent is unable or unwilling to act for you, your power of attorney will end unless you have named a successor agent. You may also name a second successor agent. This power of attorney becomes effective immediately unless you state otherwise in the special instructions. If you have questions about the power of attorney or the authority you are granting to your agent, you should seek legal advice before signing this form.
4

Medical Durable Power of Attorney

Colo. Rev. Stat. §15-14-506 (MDPOA); §§15-18-101 et seq. (Declaration as to Medical Treatment / living will); §15-18.7-101 et seq. (MOST, separate document)

Witnesses: 2 required

Colorado requires 2 witnesses

Notarization: Not required

Notarization is not required but may be accepted

State-specific notes

•Living Will Declaration may be executed by EITHER (a) signature in the presence of two witnesses OR (b) signature acknowledged before a notary public — the two paths are statutory alternatives, not cumulative. Colo. Rev. Stat. §15-18-106(1) (as amended by SB21-195 § 1, eff. May 7, 2021); §15-18-104(5) (Declaration as to Medical Treatment) cross-refers to §15-18-106 for execution
•Will.com renders BOTH two witnesses AND a notary acknowledgment on the Plus-tier form to harden against later challenge and improve out-of-state portability; statute would accept either path alone
•Witness and notary disqualifications: under §15-18-106(2) the persons listed in §15-18-105 (attending physician, physician's employees, anyone with a claim against the declarant's estate, anyone with a beneficiary or heir interest) may not serve as a witness, notary public, or other acknowledgment officer
•Health care proxy (Medical Durable Power of Attorney) has no strict statutory execution requirement under §15-14-506; notarization not required but recommended
ViewWitness disqualification recital
For Living Will Declarations, §15-18-106(2) provides that the persons specified in §15-18-105 may not serve as a witness, notary public, or other officer taking acknowledgment. The §15-18-105 list comprises: (a) the attending physician or any other physician; (b) an employee of the attending physician or the health-care facility in which the declarant is a patient; (c) any person with a claim against the declarant's estate at the time of signing; and (d) any person who knows or believes he or she is entitled to a portion of the declarant's estate as a beneficiary under an existing will or as an heir at law.
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Disposition of Remains Authorization

Names the agent who controls funeral, burial, or cremation decisions, with optional preferences.

HIPAA Authorization

Stand-alone PHI release that survives death for the period you specify, separate from the in-life authorization in your healthcare directive.

Nomination of Conservator

Pre-nominates the person you want a court to appoint if a conservator (or guardian of the estate) is ever needed.

Business Succession Declaration

Identifies your interests in any closely-held businesses and how they should be transferred or wound down.

Real-Estate Retitling Checklist

Step-by-step instructions for transferring real-property deeds into your trust so the trust actually controls those assets.

Letter of Instruction

Non-binding personal note to your executor and family: where to find documents, account access, funeral wishes, and other practical guidance.

Free vs. paid

Free
Paid
All 4 state-specific documents
State-specific signing guide
Download as PDF, print forever
Secure online storage
Covers real estate, business, digital, and funeral wishes
Disposition of remains authorization
Standalone HIPAA authorization
Nomination of conservator
Business succession declaration
Real-estate retitling checklist
Special needs trust provisions
Letter of instruction, pre-filled and editable
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Annual review reminder
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Electronic will status

Colorado has adopted electronic will legislation (2021). You may be able to create, sign, and witness a will electronically using approved methods.

Digital assets access

Colorado has adopted RUFADAA (2016). This is the Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act, which lets your executor, trustee, or agent access your email, social media, cryptocurrency wallets, cloud storage, and other digital accounts after death or incapacity.

To take advantage of RUFADAA, your will, trust, or power of attorney must explicitly grant authority to access digital assets. Without explicit authorization, service providers can deny access even to a court-appointed executor.

Remote online notarization (RON)

Colorado authorized RON in 2020. Colorado's Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts (Colo. Rev. Stat. §§24-21-501 to 24-21-526; remote provisions at §24-21-514.5) authorizes remote online notarization for most documents, but §24-21-514.5(2)(b)(II) (as amended by HB21-1004 SECTION 2) PROHIBITS a notary from using a remote notarization system to notarize a will, codicil, document purporting to be a will or codicil, or any acknowledgment required under §15-11-502 (witnesses) or §15-11-504 (self-proving affidavit) — EXCEPT as provided in the Colorado Uniform Electronic Wills Act (Part 13 of Article 11 of Title 15). In practical terms: for a paper will, the two witnesses must sign in physical presence under §15-11-502 AND the self-proving affidavit cannot be completed via RON. RON is available only for CUEWA-compliant electronic wills under §§15-11-1301 et seq., where the notary acknowledges the testator (and witnesses, if any) in physical or electronic presence and the notary is physically located in Colorado at the time of the notarial act. For non-will documents (trusts, financial POAs, HC directives), standard RON under §24-21-514.5 is available subject to the usual ten-year audio-video recording retention requirement.

Will

Allowed

Trust

Allowed

POA

Allowed

Remote online witnessing (ROW)

Colorado allows remote online witnessing for some estate planning documents. Witnesses can observe your signing over a live video call instead of being physically present.

Will

Allowed

Trust

Not allowed

POA

Not allowed

HC Directive

Not allowed

This information is general in nature and not legal advice. Laws change. Consult a licensed estate planning attorney in Colorado for guidance specific to your situation.

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