Attorneys specializing in estate planning, probate, estate litigation.
We have been doing estate planning and probate law for more than 30 years. Brian Stutheit is a member of the Elder Law and Trust and Estates sections of the Colorado Bar. He has been appointed by courts in Denver and Arapahoe County as an attorney to make recommendations to the judges for resolution of probate cases. We office 15 minutes from the Broomfield courthouse.
Protect your heirs and your inheritance. Call (303) 321-3017.
Too many clients are sold unnecessarily expensive estate plans. We are not in the business of “selling” estate plans. We are in the business of learning client goals, helping clients to uncover what they really need, and creating documents which meet the needs and goals for a fair fee.
Wills and Trusts
Typical Prices
- Advance Health Care Directive or Living Will: $325. We frequently include this within the health power of attorney for no extra cost.
- Beneficiary Deed to real estate: $600 plus recording fee. Can be a good way in small estates to avoid probate. A beneficiary deed can be an alternative to making an heir a joint owner in the property. A beneficiary deed is not advisable for people who may need Medicaid to pay for nursing home care.
- Postnuptial or Prenuptial Agreement: $2,100. Important for second marriages when spouses have children from the first marriage.
- Power of Attorney to manage finances and power of attorney for health care decisions: $475 individual, $650 couple.
- Most Wills (including will with guardianship and trust provisions for minor children): $1200 individual; $1600 couple
Powers of attorney
Most adults should have a power of attorney for both finances and health care decision making. The power of attorney allows you to pick someone you trust to handle your affairs if you cannot do so yourself. It gives you peace of mind, reassuring you that in an emergency, someone you choose will have the authority to act for you. If you don’t have one and you are suddenly incapacitated, your family may have to go through an expensive and time-consuming court action to appoint a guardian or conservator to make decisions for you.
Probate Law
Generally, there are two types of probate lawyers: those who handle the administrative side of probates who are essentially transactional attorneys, and those who represent clients in lawsuits, called probate litigators. Stutheit & Gartland, P.C. knows both probate administration and litigation. Brian Stutheit has been a probate lawyer for about 30 years. We are experienced, calm, confident trial lawyers.
Our probate specialties are:
- Decedent Estate Administration (Probate);
- Guardianship and Conservatorship;
- Breach of Fiduciary Duty and Removal of Trustees or Personal Representatives;
- Will Contests and Disputes Among Heirs;
- Claims Against Estates;
- Abuse of Power of Attorney;
- Surviving Spouse Rights. This includes rights to life insurance, rights even if the spouse is not recognized in a Last Will, and situations where the decedent had children from a different partner. We represent both spouses asserting their rights, and heirs who are resisting spousal claims.
- Defending estates against creditor claims.
