Boulder County Probate Attorney Who Fights for Your Family's Best Interests
Serving Louisville, CO and the Surrounding Boulder County Communities
When someone close to you passes away, the legal “to-do list” can feel like it lands all at once — locating documents, figuring out who is in charge, securing property, managing bills, and answering family questions. Probate can add another layer of pressure, especially if you’re not sure what the court requires or how long the process might take.
At Gitkind Law Firm, we guide families and personal representatives through probate and estate administration in Boulder County with a steady, practical approach. Our focus is on Wills, Trusts, Estates, and Probate, and we work to help you move forward with clarity, organization, and respect for what your family is going through right now. We serve families throughout Boulder County, including Boulder, Louisville, Lafayette, and surrounding communities.
What Probate Is and When It's Required
Probate is the court-supervised process used to settle a person’s estate — confirming who has authority to act, identifying heirs or beneficiaries, handling creditor issues, and transferring assets to the right people. Probate may be required whether a person had a will or not. If there is no will, Colorado’s intestacy laws determine who inherits, which may not match what your loved one would have chosen.
How We Help During Estate Administration
Families often come to us with questions like: Do we need probate? Who should serve as personal representative? What paperwork is required? What if there’s real estate? What if siblings disagree?
We assist with the core tasks of estate administration, including:
- Reviewing the will and clarifying next steps
- Guiding the personal representative through deadlines and responsibilities
- Identifying and valuing assets, addressing notices and creditor issues, and coordinating distributions
- Helping reduce conflict by keeping the process transparent and well-documented
When a trust is involved, we also help with trust administration, so the right assets move through the right process — without unnecessary court delays.
How Long Does Probate Take in Colorado?
The timeline varies depending on the complexity of the estate and whether the process is informal or formal. In general:
- Informal probate in Colorado can often be opened relatively quickly once the right paperwork is filed, and straightforward estates may be distributed within several months and closed in a minimum of nine months.
- Formal probate — which involves more court supervision, contested issues, or complex assets — typically takes longer and requires more structured court involvement.
- Estates with real estate, business interests, disputes among heirs, or creditor issues tend to take more time regardless of the process type.
The most important factor is getting organized early and filing correctly from the start. Delays often come from paperwork errors, missed deadlines, or uncertainty about which process applies. Having an experienced probate lawyer guide the personal representative from the beginning can help avoid those setbacks.
Andy has helped hundreds of families across Boulder, Louisville, Lafayette, and the broader Boulder County area through probate and estate administration — and his focus remains on making a difficult process as clear and manageable as possible.
Why Work with Andy Gitkind
Probate requires both technical accuracy and calm communication — especially at a time when families are already under stress. Attorney Andy L. Gitkind built his practice around guiding clients through complex decisions with education and straightforward advice. He earned his J.D. from the University of Colorado School of Law, graduating as president of his class, with a concentration in trusts and estates. He opened his firm in 2004 after six years of wills and trust experience at one of Boulder County’s largest estate planning firms.
Informal vs. Formal Probate in Colorado
Many Colorado estates can proceed through informal probate, which generally involves less court supervision when the paperwork is in order and there is no dispute. Formal probate may be necessary when there are contested issues — such as questions about a will, unclear heirs, or disagreements about administration.
If conflict arises, having experienced counsel can help protect the estate, avoid litigation, keep matters organized, and move the case toward resolution.
What Our Clients Say:
Schedule Your Initial Consultation at No Charge
Every estate is different — and so are the family dynamics, assets, and concerns that come with it. We want to assist through your specific and unique challenges. Please contact us for your initial consultation, at no charge.
Gitkind Law Firm, P.C. 801 Main St., Suite 230, Louisville, CO 80027