Estate Administration Attorney Denver
Meurer & Potter Law Office, Denver, Colorado
When a loved one passes away, someone must step up to manage the legal and financial affairs of their estate. Estate administration is the process of collecting assets, paying debts and taxes, and distributing remaining property to beneficiaries—whether the estate goes through formal probate or is administered outside of court through a trust.
At Meurer & Potter, P.C., our estate administration attorneys in Denver guide personal representatives, executors, and family members through every step of this process. We handle estates with and without wills, contested and uncontested, and we work to complete administration as efficiently as possible while keeping beneficiaries informed. We’ve been helping Colorado families with estate administration since 1991.
Call 303-991-3544 for a free consultation with an estate administration attorney.
What Does a Personal Representative Do?
The Personal Representative (executor) appointed by the court is legally responsible for the entire administration process. This includes locating and securing all estate assets, obtaining date-of-death valuations for real estate, business interests, and investments, notifying creditors and paying valid claims from estate funds, filing the decedent’s final income tax return and any required estate tax returns, managing estate assets prudently during administration (the Prudent Investor standard applies), distributing assets to beneficiaries according to the will or Colorado intestacy law, providing accountings to interested parties, and filing a closing statement with the court.
Personal Representatives are held to a fiduciary standard and may be personally liable for mismanagement, self-dealing, or failure to comply with the will’s terms or Colorado law. If you’ve been named Personal Representative and don’t know where to start, that’s exactly what we help with.
Common Estate Administration Challenges
Not every estate is straightforward. We regularly handle situations involving beneficiaries who disagree about asset distribution or the Personal Representative’s decisions, creditor claims that exceed estate assets, real estate that must be sold during administration, business interests that require ongoing management or valuation, missing or unclear beneficiary designations, and estates involving assets in multiple states requiring ancillary probate. When disputes arise, our probate litigation attorneys handle will contests [LINK: /probate-attorney-denver/will-contests/] and breach of fiduciary duty claims [LINK: /probate-attorney-denver/breach-of-fiduciary-duties/].
Need help administering an estate? Call 303-991-3544to schedule a free consultation with an estate administration attorney.
Frequently Asked Questions About Estate Administration Attorney Services
Our FAQs offer practical guidance about estate administration attorney legal services. They are written to help you stay informed, not overwhelmed.
Most estates are administered within 9 to 12 months. Colorado law requires a minimum 6-month creditor claim period. Complex estates involving disputes, tax issues, or multi-state assets may take longer.
Yes. Colorado law allows reasonable compensation for Personal Representatives. The amount depends on the estate’s size, complexity, and the time involved. Compensation should be documented and disclosed to beneficiaries to avoid disputes.
Yes. A court can remove a Personal Representative for cause, including mismanagement, self-dealing, failure to perform duties, or breach of fiduciary duty. Interested parties can petition the court for removal.
Colorado law establishes a priority order for paying claims. Certain debts (funeral costs, administration expenses, taxes) are paid first. If the estate is insolvent, lower-priority creditors may receive partial or no payment, and beneficiaries receive nothing until all prioritized debts are satisfied.