Fort Collins Estate Planning Lawyer
Fort Collins Estate Planning Attorney Serving Larimer County and Northern Colorado
Estate planning is the legal process of preparing documents that determine how your assets are managed and distributed in the event of incapacitation or death. Without a valid estate plan in Colorado, state law decides how your inheritance is distributed, what happens to your healthcare decisions, and who cares for your dependents. At Baker Law Group, PLLC, a Fort Collins estate planning lawyer works with individuals, families, and business owners throughout Larimer County to create legally sound estate plans before a crisis forces the decision.
Baker Law Group, PLLC handles all aspects of estate planning in Fort Collins, from initial will drafting through trust establishment, powers of attorney, advance directives, and business succession planning.
Our biggest competitors for estate planning are the wills that you might download online for people trying to do it themselves. Those are the wills that end up being litigated in court because laypeople may not know what they don’t know when they’re putting it together, and they make a mistake.“
– Brian Petz, Senior Associate Attorney & Member, Baker Law Group, PLLC
Services a Fort Collins Estate Planning Lawyer Handles
A Fort Collins estate planning attorney at Baker Law Group, PLLC assists individuals and families with the full range of estate planning documents and strategies. Our services include:
Wills
A will is a legal document that outlines how a person’s assets should be distributed after death, appoints an executor to manage the estate until final distribution, and designates guardians for minor children. Under Colorado Revised Statutes Section 15-11-502, a will must be in writing, signed by the person making it, and either signed by at least two witnesses or acknowledged before a notary public. Baker Law Group, PLLC drafts wills that meet Colorado’s specific legal requirements and reflect your actual priorities rather than a generic template. A valid will is the most direct legal tool available for ensuring your inheritance reaches the people you intend rather than being distributed according to Colorado’s intestacy formula.
Trusts
Trusts are fiduciary arrangements that allow a trustee to hold assets on behalf of beneficiaries outside of the probate process. Revocable living trusts, irrevocable trusts, and special needs trusts each serve different planning goals. Baker Law Group, PLLC establishes trusts that minimize estate taxes, preserve privacy, and allow assets to pass to beneficiaries without going through Larimer County probate proceedings.
Durable Power of Attorney
A durable power of attorney for finances designates a person to manage your financial affairs if you become incapacitated. Without this document in place, your family may need to seek a conservatorship through Larimer County District Court, which is a more time-consuming and costly process. Baker Law Group, PLLC drafts durable powers of attorney that clearly define the scope of authority and protect your interests.
Health Care Directives and Advance Directives
Health care directives, including living wills and medical powers of attorney, allow you to outline your preferences for medical care if you become unable to communicate your decisions. Baker Law Group, PLLC prepares both documents to ensure your healthcare preferences are documented and legally enforceable under Colorado law.
Beneficiary Designations
Certain assets including life insurance policies and retirement accounts allow you to name beneficiaries directly. These designations supersede instructions in a will or trust and must be kept current as part of any complete estate plan. Baker Law Group, PLLC reviews and coordinates beneficiary designations alongside your will and trust documents to ensure the overall plan is consistent.
Guardianship Designations
For parents of minor children, designating guardianship in your will is essential. This ensures your children are cared for by individuals you have chosen in the event of your death. Without a guardianship designation, the court determines who cares for your children. Baker Law Group, PLLC ensures guardianship designations are properly documented and legally enforceable under Colorado law.
Business Succession Planning
For small business owners and entrepreneurs in Fort Collins, estate planning extends beyond personal assets to include what happens to the business itself.
Baker Law Group, PLLC works with Fort Collins business owners and entrepreneurs to align their business succession plan with their personal estate plan, ensuring the business can continue or transfer to family members without disruption.
Common Estate Planning Mistakes a Fort Collins Estate Planning Attorney Helps You Avoid
A Fort Collins estate planning lawyer at Baker Law Group, PLLC identifies and addresses the following common mistakes before they become costly problems for your family:
Procrastination
Delaying the creation or update of an estate plan is one of the most common and costly mistakes in estate planning. Colorado’s Medicaid rules include a 60-month look-back period that examines asset transfers made within five years of an application. Powers of attorney and advance directives must be executed while the individual still has legal capacity. They cannot be created after incapacity occurs. Waiting until a crisis occurs limits your options significantly.
Not Updating the Estate Plan
Life changes including marriage, divorce, the birth of a child, or the death of a named beneficiary should prompt a review of your estate plan. Failing to update key documents can result in outdated instructions that do not reflect your current wishes or family structure.
Ignoring Tax Implications
Estate taxes can significantly reduce the amount of inheritance passed on to your heirs. Proper planning through trusts and other strategies can minimize this exposure and preserve more of your estate for your beneficiaries.
Overlooking Digital Assets
Online accounts, digital files, cryptocurrency, and other digital assets require specific instructions for access and management. A Fort Collins estate planning attorney at Baker Law Group, PLLC ensures these assets are accounted for in your plan.
Relying on a Will Alone
A will alone cannot protect your assets from probate, cover incapacity decisions, or ensure your healthcare preferences are honored. A complete estate plan coordinates your will with trusts, powers of attorney, advance directives, and beneficiary designations to address every scenario.
Why Fort Collins Families and Business Owners Choose Us for Estate Planning
A Fort Collins estate planning lawyer at Baker Law Group, PLLC brings both estate planning and litigation experience to every client engagement. Clients choose Baker Law Group, PLLC because:
- Our attorneys handle both estate planning and litigation, giving clients the benefit of knowing how poorly drafted documents perform in Larimer County District Court and drafting accordingly to avoid those outcomes.
- We advise on inheritance planning for blended families, out-of-state real estate, and special needs beneficiaries, ensuring your estate plan accounts for the specific circumstances that most commonly lead to disputes in Larimer County.
- We coordinate all documents as a unified plan, ensuring your will, trusts, powers of attorney, advance directives, and beneficiary designations work together without gaps or conflicts.
- We work with business owners alongside families, helping Fort Collins entrepreneurs align their business succession plan with their personal estate plan in a single coordinated engagement.
- We respond quickly. Estate planning situations often arise during health events when time is critical.
- We know Larimer County, including local court procedures, recording requirements, and how estate and probate matters move through Larimer County District Court.
Baker Law Group, PLLC Fort Collins Office: 300 Boardwalk Drive, inside The Boss Collective, Fort Collins, CO 80525. Our office serves individuals, families, and business owners throughout Fort Collins, Larimer County, and Northern Colorado. Baker Law Group, PLLC handles estate planning matters and Larimer County probate proceedings regularly.
Contact a Fort Collins Estate Planning Lawyer Today
Every family needs an estate plan before a crisis forces one. Baker Law Group, PLLC is ready to review your situation, explain your options under Colorado law, and draft a plan that reflects your goals and protects your family. Contact us today to schedule a consultation with a Fort Collins estate planning lawyer individuals, families, and business owners throughout Larimer County rely on for wills, trusts, and complete estate plans.