Conservatorship in Colorado for an Elderly Parent

Your parent can no longer manage their bank accounts, pay bills on time, or understand financial documents. If they've lost the capacity to handle their own finances and never signed a durable financial power of attorney, a court-appointed conservatorship may be the only path forward.

Colorado conservatorship grants you legal authority over your parent's financial estate — their bank accounts, investments, real property, and government benefits. It's governed by C.R.S. § 15-14-401 and handled through the probate division of the district court in your parent's county of residence.

How Conservatorship Differs from Guardianship

Colorado splits protective proceedings into two distinct roles. Guardianship (C.R.S. § 15-14-301) covers the person — housing, medical decisions, daily welfare. Conservatorship covers the financial estate. You can petition for one or both simultaneously, but each requires its own petition and filing fee.

A conservator manages money. A guardian manages care. If your parent needs both, you'll file JDF 841 for guardianship and JDF 876 for conservatorship, paying $229 per petition.

Filing Requirements for Colorado Conservatorship

The petition process requires several concurrent steps:

Background screening (submitted with JDF 805 — Acceptance of Office):

• CBI name-based criminal history check ($6–$13)
• Current credit report with SSN and account numbers redacted
• CAPS check authorization form (Colorado Adult Protective Services database, $9–$16.50)
• Government-issued photo ID with identification numbers redacted

Court process timeline:

• File JDF 876 (Petition for Appointment of Conservator) with the court clerk
• Court assigns a Court Visitor to investigate and interview your parent
• Serve the petition on your parent (personal service via sheriff or process server, 14 days before hearing) and all interested persons via mail
• Attend the probate hearing

If approved, the court issues JDF 878 (Order Appointing Conservator) and JDF 880 (Letters of Conservatorship). Purchase certified copies at $20 each — banks and financial institutions require them.

Post-Appointment Reporting

Colorado conservators face strict ongoing obligations. Within 90 days of appointment, you must file JDF 882 (Conservator's Financial Plan with Inventory) detailing every asset in the estate. After that, annual financial reports (JDF 885) are mandatory.

You'll need to maintain detailed transaction logs for every expenditure, and the court can audit your records at any time. Mismanagement of conservatorship funds can result in personal liability and removal.

What a Conservatorship Costs

The minimum out-of-pocket for a self-filed conservatorship petition in Colorado:

• Filing fee: $229
• CBI background check: $6–$13
• CAPS check: $9–$16.50
• Court Visitor fees: $200 flat rate (Denver) or up to $40/hour in other counties
• Certified Letters of Conservatorship: $20 each

If you hire an elder law attorney for an uncontested conservatorship, expect flat fees of $3,500–$5,000. Contested cases involving sibling disputes or complex assets can run $15,000–$30,000+.

Avoiding Conservatorship Entirely

A durable financial power of attorney executed while your parent still has capacity eliminates the need for conservatorship. It's faster, private, and costs a fraction of court proceedings. The catch: your parent must understand the nature and consequences of the document at the time of signing.

If there's still a window of capacity, executing a financial POA under C.R.S. § 15-14-741 now can save thousands in court costs and months of procedural delay. The Colorado Power of Attorney & Guardianship Kit walks you through both pathways — proactive POA execution and court-filed conservatorship — with the exact forms and timelines for each.

See more Colorado guides →