Colorado signing guide
A plan isn't a plan unless it's signed the right way. This guide explains how to sign your Will, Powers of Attorney, and Healthcare Directive in Colorado. Each state and document has its own rules. We did our best to keep it simple.
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Before you sign
These are the state's signing rules. Some documents give you a choice between a notary and witnesses. Dandelion may use a different set of steps, explained below.
| Document | Witnesses | Notary |
|---|---|---|
| Will | None needed if you use a notary. Otherwise, two. | Not required if you use two witnesses. |
| Financial Power of Attorney | None needed. | Not required by law. A notary helps show that the signature is yours. |
| Healthcare Directive | None needed for a Medical Power of Attorney. For a Living Will, two are needed unless a notary or another authorized official confirms your signature. | Not required for a Medical Power of Attorney. For a Living Will, use two witnesses or have a notary or another authorized official confirm your signature. |
Will
What this document does
Your Will says who you want to get your money and belongings after you die, and who should carry out your wishes. You can also name the person you want to care for your children under 18. Naming them records your choice; it does not make the final decision for a court.
Signing rules in Colorado
- Do I need a notary?
- Not required if you use two witnesses.
- How many witnesses
- None needed if you use a notary. Otherwise, two.
- Who can be a witness
- Choose people who understand what they are signing. A person who gets a gift in your Will can be a witness without losing that gift for this reason. Witnesses must sign within a reasonable time. The rule can allow them to sign after you die.
- Witness statement
- If you use witnesses, they can sign a sworn statement before a notary. It helps a court check the Will later. For Dandelion's option, that notary must be licensed in Colorado.
How you sign with Dandelion
Use two witnesses over video. They sign a statement about how you signed. You can also get a sworn statement from them. For that extra step, you need a notary licensed in Colorado.
What happens in Colorado without a Will?
Colorado's rules decide who gets the money and belongings covered by those rules. The result depends on your family, such as whether you have a spouse, children, parents, or siblings. It may not match your wishes. A friend or partner you are not married to is not automatically included.
Read the state law
Financial Power of Attorney
What this document does
This document names someone you trust to handle money matters for you. You choose what they can do, such as pay bills or manage an account.
Signing rules in Colorado
- Do I need a notary?
- Not required by law. A notary helps show that the signature is yours.
- How many witnesses
- None needed.
- Who can be a witness
- Not needed for this document.
- Signing in person or online
- You can sign a digital document. You can also use a notary over video. The notary may be licensed in another state.
- Other rules to know
- A notary helps banks and other places trust your document. It also lets you file the document in public records when needed.
How you sign with Dandelion
Use a notary.
What happens in Colorado without a Power of Attorney?
If you cannot manage your money, your family may have to ask a court to choose someone to help. In Colorado, this is called a conservatorship. Going to court can take more time and cost more than naming someone in a document ahead of time.
Read the state law
Healthcare Directive
What this document does
In Colorado, a Medical Power of Attorney names someone to make health care decisions when you cannot. A Living Will records your instructions about life-sustaining treatment. These documents have different signing rules.
Signing rules in Colorado
- Do I need a notary?
- Not required for a Medical Power of Attorney. For a Living Will, use two witnesses or have a notary or another authorized official confirm your signature.
- How many witnesses
- None needed for a Medical Power of Attorney. For a Living Will, two are needed unless a notary or another authorized official confirms your signature.
- Who can be a witness
- For a Medical Power of Attorney, witnesses are not needed. If you use witnesses for a Living Will, do not choose a doctor, a worker for your treating doctor or the care facility where you are a patient, someone who has a claim against your property after you die, or someone who expects to inherit from you. These limits also apply to the notary or other authorized official for a Living Will.
- Signing in person or online
- For a Medical Power of Attorney, you can sign a digital document and use a notary over video. The notary may be licensed in another state. Follow the signing instructions for a separate Living Will.
- Other rules to know
- A Medical Power of Attorney can include care instructions for the person you name. That does not automatically make it a separate Living Will. A document combining a Medical Power of Attorney and a Living Will must follow both sets of signing rules.
How you sign with Dandelion
Dandelion uses a notary, in person or over video, with no witnesses. Colorado law does not require either for a Medical Power of Attorney. For a Living Will, a notary is an alternative to two witnesses.
What happens in Colorado without a Healthcare Directive?
If you cannot make your own health care choices, someone may need to help. If you have not named that person, Colorado's rules and your care team guide who is asked. That may not be the person you would choose.
Read the state law
What happens in court after someone dies?
Probate is a court process after someone dies. It can include checking their Will, paying debts, and passing their money and belongings to the right people. Having a Will does not automatically let your family skip this process.
The steps depend on what the person owned and Colorado's rules. The court's website explains the forms and steps your family may need.
Common Questions
Questions and words to know
Do I need a notary for a Colorado Will?
Not required if you use two witnesses. Dandelion uses two witnesses. A notary is needed for the optional sworn witness statement described above.
Can I write my Colorado Will by hand?
Yes, if your signature and the main parts of the Will are in your own handwriting.
Can someone who gets a gift in my Will also be a witness?
Yes. In Colorado, being a witness does not reduce that person's gift just because they receive something in the Will.
Do I need a notary for a Colorado Power of Attorney?
Not required by law. A notary helps show that the signature is yours and helps banks and other places trust the document. Dandelion uses a notary.
How does Dandelion's Colorado health care document work?
A Medical Power of Attorney names someone to make health care choices when you cannot. Colorado law does not require witnesses or notarization for it. A Living Will records instructions about life-sustaining treatment and needs two witnesses or acknowledgment before a notary or another authorized official. Dandelion's Colorado signing steps use a notary, with no witnesses.
What is a notary?
A notary is a person authorized by a state to check identity and witness or confirm a signature. They can also take sworn statements. This matters because this helps show that the signature or statement is genuine. A notary does not replace witnesses unless the rules for that document allow it.
What does a witness do?
A witness is someone who can confirm what happened when you signed. They may also have to sign the document. This matters because each state has rules about how many witnesses you need and who can be one.
What is probate?
Probate is a court process after someone dies. It can involve checking a Will, paying debts, and passing property to the right people. This matters because having a Will does not automatically let your family skip this process.
What is a conservatorship?
Here, it means a court process to choose someone to help with money if you cannot manage it yourself. Your family may need to ask the court if you have not already named someone in the right document.
Related Reading
- What Is a Will?
How a Will records your wishes and who carries them out.
- Living Will vs. Medical Power of Attorney
Understand the different parts of health care planning.
- Documents and Coverage
See which documents Dandelion offers and where they are available.
- All State Requirements
Choose another state and see what is available.
Dandelion helps your family plan who will make decisions, who can care for your children, and what happens to your money and belongings. Keep legal documents, everyday instructions, and family memories together in one plan you can share.
Start my planDandelion is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. State laws vary. For advice specific to your situation, consult a qualified estate planning professional.