What Happens if You Die Without a Will in Colorado?

Take in everything around you at home— your house, family heirlooms, and all of your other belongings. If you were to die suddenly, who would those possessions go to? It is wise to have a will in place to control how your assets are distributed after you pass away. Without a will, Colorado’s intestate succession laws will dictate how your hard-earned assets will pass on upon your death, which can have undesirable effects.

Colorado Intestate Succession Laws

Under Colorado’s intestate succession laws, your assets will go to your closest relatives if you pass away without a will. Here’s a breakdown of those laws:

If you are survived by:	Here’s what happens:
Children but no spouse	Children inherit everything
Spouse but no children	Spouse inherits everything
Spouse with children from the same spouse	Spouse inherits everything
Spouse with children from you and spouse has children from someone else	Spouse inherits the first $225,000 of your intestate property, plus 50% of the balance Your descendants inherit the remainder
Spouse and children from you and someone other than that spouse	Spouse inherits the first $150,000 of your intestate property, plus 50% of the balance Children inherit the remainder
Spouse and parents	Spouse inherits the first $300,000, plus 25% of the balance Parents inherit the remainder
Parents but no spouse or children	Parents inherit everything
Siblings but no spouse, children, or parents	Siblings inherit everything
Paternal and maternal grandparents but no spouse, children, parents, or siblings	Grandparents inherit everything in equal shares
Maternal and paternal aunts and uncles but no spouse, children, parents, siblings, or grandparents	Aunts and uncles inherit everything in equal shares

If you have absolutely no relatives to claim your estate, your property will go to the state.

Denver Estate Planning Attorneys

Dying intestate (without a will) can result in a number of consequences for yourself and loved ones. The results may not follow your personal desires for your estate. The most obvious drawback is that you do not control who gets your property. Another is a more formal probate process, which often leads to additional stress and expenses for your family. It’s time to create a comprehensive estate plan that lets you decide exactly how you want your assets to be distributed.

Give the estate planning attorneys at Law Office of Alexandra White, PC a call at (303) 647-4245 to get started with your estate plan.