Colo. Rev. Stat. » Title 15
Colorado Revised Statutes

Colo. Rev. Stat. § 15-15-101 (2026)

Nonprobate transfers on death

✓ current as of July 2026
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(1) A provision for a nonprobate transfer on death in an insurance policy, contract of employment, bond, mortgage, promissory note, certificated or uncertificated security, account agreement, custodial agreement, deposit agreement, compensation plan, pension plan, individual retirement plan, employee benefit plan, trust, conveyance, deed of gift, marital property agreement, or other written instrument of a similar nature is nontestamentary. This subsection (1) includes a written provision that:

(a) Money or other benefits due to, controlled by, or owned by a decedent before death must be paid after the decedent's death to a person whom the decedent designates either in the instrument or in a separate writing, including a will, executed either before or at the same time as the instrument, or later;

(b) Money due or to become due under the instrument ceases to be payable in the event of death of the promisee or the promisor before payment or demand; or

(c) Any property controlled by or owned by the decedent before death which is the subject of the instrument passes to a person the decedent designates either in the instrument or in a separate writing, including a will, executed either before or at the same time as the instrument, or later.

(1.5) A conveyance or deed of gift described in subsection (1) of this section that relates to an interest in real property may be created pursuant to part 4 of this article and, if so created, shall be subject to the rights of third parties described in part 4 of this article.

(2) Under the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, it is permissible to designate as a beneficiary, payee, or owner a trustee named in an inter vivos or testamentary trust in existence at the date of such designation. It is not necessary to the validity of any such trust that there be in existence a trust corpus other than the right to receive the benefits or to exercise the rights resulting from such a designation. It is also permissible to designate as a beneficiary, payee, or owner a trustee named in, or ascertainable under, the will of the designator. The benefits or rights resulting from such a designation shall be payable or transferable to the trustee upon admission of the will to probate if a testamentary trustee is the designated payee or transferee, subject to the right of the payer to impose requirements and take actions as may a personal representative acting under section 15-12-913. A trustee shall not be disqualified to receive such benefits or rights merely because the trust under which he was to act or is acting fails to come into existence or has been distributed in part or whole, but such a trustee shall receive and distribute the proceeds in accord with the terms of such trust.

(3) If a trustee is designated pursuant to subsection (2) of this section and no qualified trustee makes claim to the benefits or rights resulting from such a designation within one year after the death of the designator, or if evidence satisfactory to the person obligated to make the payment or transfer is furnished within such one-year period that there is or will be no trustee to receive the proceeds, payment or transfer shall be made to the personal representative of the designator, unless otherwise provided by such designation or other controlling agreement made during the lifetime of the designator.

(4) The payment of the benefits due or a transfer of the rights given under a designation pursuant to subsection (2) or (3) of this section and the receipt for such payment or transfer executed by the trustee or other authorized payee thereof shall constitute a full discharge and acquittance of the person obligated to make the payment or transfer.

(5) Payment of the benefits due or the transfer of the rights given in accordance with a designation under the provisions of subsection (2) of this section shall not cause such benefits or rights to be included in the property administered as part of the designator's estate under this code or to be subject to the claims of his or her creditors, except as provided in part 2 of article 11 of this title and in section 15-15-103.

(6) Except as otherwise provided in part 2 of article 11 of this title and in section 15-15- 103, the express provisions of the trust agreement, declaration of trust, or testamentary trust shall control and regulate the extent to which the benefits or rights payable or transferable under such a designation shall be subject to the debts of the designator if paid or transferred under the provisions of subsection (2) of this section.

(7) Repealed.

Source: L. 90: Entire article R&RE, p. 908, § 1, effective July 1. L. 2004: (1.5) added, p. 734, § 3, effective August 4. L. 2006: (5) and (6) amended and (7) repealed, pp. 390, 391, §§ 18, 19, 20, effective July 1 L. 2014: (5) and (6) amended, (HB 14-1322), ch. 296, p. 1241, § 15, effective August 6.

Editor's note: This section is similar to former § 15-15-201 as it existed prior to 1990.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 4 cases, 1988–2020 · leading case: of Treviño, 2020 COA 125 (Colo. Ct. App. 2020).
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of Treviño, 2020 COA 125 (Colo. Ct. App. 2020). · cites it 2× “See also § 15-15-101(1), C.R.S. 2019 (defining nonprobate transfers on death).”
Taullie v. Decibel Credit Union, 765 P.2d 1087 (Colo. Ct. App. 1988). · cites it 2× “” In addition, a “financial institution,” which is defined in § 15-15-101(3), C.R.S. (1987 Repl.Vol. 6B) to include a credit union, has the right to setoff against a “multiple-party account,” to the extent of the balance in the account, any sums owing to the institution by a…”
Goemmer v. Hartman, 791 P.2d 1238 (Colo. Ct. App. 1990). · cites it 4× “Defendants assert that the decedent’s non-probate transfer is exempt from the requirements of the Statute of Wills as it is a multi-party bank account pursuant to § 15-15-101, et seq., C.R.S. (1987 Repl.Vol.”
In Re Est. of Scott, 77 P.3d 906 (Colo. Ct. App. 2003). · cites it 3× “Trustee relies, in part, on § 15-15-101(1), C.R.$.2002, which provides: A provision for a nonprobate transfer on death in [a] .”
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 15-15-101(1): 2 cases
of Treviño, 2020 COA 125 (Colo. Ct. App. 2020). “See also § 15-15-101(1), C.R.S. 2019 (defining nonprobate transfers on death).”
In Re Est. of Scott, 77 P.3d 906 (Colo. Ct. App. 2003). “Trustee relies, in part, on § 15-15-101(1), C.R.$.2002, which provides: A provision for a nonprobate transfer on death in [a] .”
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 15-15-101(1)(c): 1 case
In Re Est. of Scott, 77 P.3d 906 (Colo. Ct. App. 2003). “Trustee relies, in part, on § 15-15-101(1), C.R.$.2002, which provides: A provision for a nonprobate transfer on death in [a] .”
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 15-15-101(3): 1 case
Taullie v. Decibel Credit Union, 765 P.2d 1087 (Colo. Ct. App. 1988). “” In addition, a “financial institution,” which is defined in § 15-15-101(3), C.R.S. (1987 Repl.Vol. 6B) to include a credit union, has the right to setoff against a “multiple-party account,” to the extent of the balance in the account, any sums owing to the institution by a…”
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 15-15-101(7): 1 case
Goemmer v. Hartman, 791 P.2d 1238 (Colo. Ct. App. 1990). “Defendants assert that the decedent’s non-probate transfer is exempt from the requirements of the Statute of Wills as it is a multi-party bank account pursuant to § 15-15-101, et seq., C.R.S. (1987 Repl.Vol.”
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