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A Lakewood estate planning attorney helps families protect what matters most: their home, their savings, and their loved ones’ futures. At Colorado Estate Matters, Ltd., we serve Lakewood residents and families throughout Jefferson County with estate planning that feels approachable rather than intimidating.
Many people put off estate planning because law firms feel formal and overwhelming. Colorado Estate Matters takes a different approach. Attorney Justin Blow and his team create a welcoming environment where questions are encouraged and legal concepts are explained in plain English.
Whether you own a home near Belmar Park, run a business along Colfax Avenue, or simply want peace of mind for your family, the right estate plan provides clarity during uncertain times. Our Lakewood office makes consultations convenient for families throughout the Denver metro area.
Choosing an estate planning lawyer involves trust. You need someone who listens carefully, explains options clearly, and creates documents that actually work when your family needs them.
Colorado Estate Matters operates on a simple philosophy: passionate representation with a compassionate approach. Our team deliberately avoids the stuffy atmosphere many people associate with legal offices.
Attorney Justin Blow brings a unique background to estate planning. Before practicing law, he worked as a private investigator handling fraud cases, criminal defense investigations, and death penalty mitigation. This investigative experience shapes how he approaches estate planning.
Justin’s investigator background means he thinks differently about potential problems. He anticipates family conflicts before they arise and structures documents to prevent disputes rather than simply hoping for the best.
When estates face challenges, Justin knows how to locate assets, find witnesses, and build strong cases. This combination of planning skills and litigation readiness provides families with comprehensive protection that many estate planning attorneys simply lack.
The firm serves Lakewood, Golden, Wheat Ridge, Arvada, Centennial, Highlands Ranch, and surrounding communities. Local presence matters because Colorado estate planning involves state-specific documents and requirements.
Free consultations allow you to meet the team before making any decisions. The conversation focuses on understanding your situation and explaining options without pressure.
Estate planning encompasses several interconnected documents and strategies. Most Colorado families benefit from a coordinated plan rather than isolated documents.
The following services address the most common needs for Lakewood residents:
Each document serves a specific purpose within your overall plan. An attorney helps coordinate these pieces effectively.
A last will and testament remains essential for most families, particularly parents with minor children. Colorado law requires wills to be either signed before two witnesses or properly notarized under C.R.S. § 15-11-502.
Revocable living trusts offer additional benefits for many Lakewood homeowners. Assets actually held in a properly funded revocable living trust bypass the Jefferson County District Court, Probate Division entirely, saving time and maintaining family privacy.
Incapacity planning often matters more urgently than death planning. A sudden illness or accident may leave you unable to manage your finances or make medical decisions.
Colorado’s Uniform Power of Attorney Act governs financial powers of attorney. Medical powers of attorney and living wills fall under separate healthcare decision statutes. Having both types in place provides comprehensive protection.
Real estate often represents a family’s largest asset. Lakewood homes near Green Mountain, along Wadsworth Boulevard, or in established neighborhoods like Applewood carry significant value that is worth protecting.
Without proper planning, your home must pass through probate before your family receives it. This court process takes six months to a year and creates public records that anyone may access.
Colorado offers several tools for keeping your home out of probate court. A revocable living trust transfers ownership to your trust while you maintain complete control during your lifetime.
Beneficiary deeds provide a simpler alternative under C.R.S. § 15-15-401. You record a deed naming who inherits your property, but you keep full ownership until death. A beneficiary deed must be properly recorded with the county clerk and comply with statutory requirements to be valid. Your beneficiaries then receive the home without any court involvement.
Many married couples hold their Lakewood home as joint tenants with rights of survivorship. This arrangement transfers ownership automatically when one spouse passes, but the right of survivorship must be clearly stated in the deed. This automatic transfer only occurs if the deed clearly states the right of survivorship.
Adding children as joint owners creates risks, including exposure to their creditors and potential gift tax consequences. A beneficiary deed often achieves similar probate avoidance without these complications.
Colorado families come in many forms. Effective estate planning addresses your specific circumstances rather than applying one-size-fits-all solutions.
Second marriages and blended families face particular challenges. Without careful planning, your spouse might inherit everything and later leave nothing to your children from a prior relationship.
Trusts allow you to provide for your current spouse while protecting assets for your children. These structures create enforceable protections that simple wills cannot match.
Colorado remains one of the few states recognizing common law marriage. Couples who meet the requirements have the same legal rights as ceremonially married couples, but proving common law marriage after one partner’s death may require substantial evidence.
Estate planning documents help establish your intentions clearly. Proving common law marriage after death requires clear evidence, and estate planning documents help establish your intentions. Colorado Estate Matters provides guidance for common law couples seeking to protect their rights and their partners.
The firm welcomes clients from all backgrounds. LGBTQ+ families, multigenerational households, and non-traditional family structures all benefit from thoughtful estate planning.
Colorado Estate Matters operates on core values of integrity and acceptance. Every client receives dignified treatment regardless of family configuration or personal circumstances.
Estate planning extends beyond documents that take effect after death. Many families need help navigating challenges that arise as loved ones age or face health difficulties.
Aging brings unique legal concerns that intersect with estate planning. Questions about long-term care, asset protection, and family caregiving arrangements require careful attention.
Colorado Estate Matters helps families think through these issues before crises arise. Planning ahead often preserves more options than waiting until a health emergency forces difficult decisions.
Nursing home costs in Colorado can exceed $10,000 monthly. Many families worry about preserving assets while qualifying for Medicaid benefits if long-term care becomes necessary.
Certain planning strategies may help protect assets within Medicaid rules. However, these strategies require careful implementation and often involve irrevocable transfers with significant consequences. Early planning provides more flexibility than last-minute efforts.
Adult children frequently contact the firm seeking help for parents in Lakewood or throughout Jefferson County. Sometimes parents need updated documents reflecting current wishes. Other times, cognitive decline raises concerns about vulnerability to financial exploitation.
We approach these sensitive situations with compassion. Balancing respect for parental autonomy with genuine safety concerns requires careful judgment and clear communication.
Some families face situations where a loved one cannot manage their own affairs. Aging parents with dementia, adult children with disabilities, or family members with serious mental health conditions may need legal protection.
Guardianship grants authority over personal decisions like healthcare, living arrangements, and daily care. Conservatorship provides authority over financial matters and property management.
Colorado courts may appoint a guardian, conservator, or both depending on what the protected person needs. The Jefferson County District Court handles these matters for Lakewood families.
Seeking guardianship or conservatorship often follows a difficult realization that a loved one cannot safely manage alone. The process involves court hearings, medical evaluations, and ongoing reporting requirements.
Having an attorney guide you through these proceedings reduces stress during an emotionally challenging time. The firm approaches these cases with compassion, recognizing that families make these decisions out of love and concern.
Creating estate planning documents is only part of the equation. Documents must be structured to withstand potential challenges from unhappy family members or outside parties.
Inheritance disputes arise from unclear intentions, perceived unfairness, or old family tensions. Justin’s investigative background proves valuable here. He thinks about how documents might be challenged and builds in protections accordingly.
Clear language, proper execution, and thorough documentation all reduce the likelihood of successful challenges. Addressing potential conflicts during the planning stage costs far less than litigation after death.
Colorado law allows interested parties to contest wills and trusts under certain circumstances. Claims typically involve allegations of undue influence, lack of mental capacity, or improper execution.
If your estate faces such a challenge, having an attorney with litigation experience matters. Colorado Estate Matters handles both estate planning and fiduciary litigation, providing continuity if disputes arise.
Beginning the estate planning process feels overwhelming for many people. Breaking it into manageable steps makes the process less intimidating.
Before meeting with an attorney, collect basic information about your situation. The following items help make your consultation productive:
Bringing this information to your consultation allows for more specific guidance tailored to your circumstances.
Think about what matters most to you before your meeting. Who do you trust to make medical decisions if you cannot? How do you want assets distributed among family members?
Consider whether privacy matters to you and whether avoiding probate is a priority. Your answers help shape which planning tools fit your situation best.
Estate planning does not end when you sign documents. Funding trusts, updating beneficiary designations, and retitling assets all require follow-through. Proper funding of trusts and updating beneficiary designations are essential for probate avoidance and effective estate planning.
At Colorado Estate Matters, we guide clients through implementation, not just document creation. This comprehensive approach helps verify that your plan actually works as intended.
Major life events trigger the need for updates: marriage, divorce, births, deaths, significant asset changes, or moving to Colorado from another state. Even without major changes, reviewing documents every three to five years helps catch outdated provisions.
Colorado’s intestate succession laws under C.R.S. § 15-11-101 determine who inherits your property. The court appoints someone to manage your estate, and your assets pass according to statutory formulas rather than your preferences.
Online templates exist, but they may fail to address Colorado-specific requirements or your unique family situation. Errors in estate planning documents may not surface until after death, when correction is impossible.
Simple plans may be completed within a few weeks. Complex situations involving business interests, blended families, or significant assets may require additional time for proper structuring.
Colorado has specific document requirements, recognizes common law marriage, and follows the Uniform Probate Code with state-specific modifications. Documents valid in other states may not meet Colorado requirements.
Estate planning provides peace of mind that your family receives protection regardless of what happens. Colorado Estate Matters, Ltd. makes the process accessible for Lakewood families who want clarity without complexity.
Attorney Justin Blow combines legal knowledge with investigative experience that proves valuable for anticipating problems and building comprehensive plans. The team treats every client with warmth and respect.
Contact Colorado Estate Matters at (303) 713-9147 for a free consultation. The conversation may reveal simpler solutions than you expected, and your family benefits from whatever planning you complete today.
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