Free Will Template for Colorado: Example to Copy by Hand (2026)

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In Colorado you do not need a lawyer, a notary, or a single witness to make a valid will. State law recognizes the handwritten will, known formally as a holographic will, as long as you write it out yourself and sign it. That makes a free template genuinely useful: you can read an example, then reproduce it in your own hand to create a document the probate court will accept.

This guide gives you two clean sample will texts to copy, one for a single person and one for a married parent, plus the exact rules that decide whether your finished will holds up. Before you start, it helps to understand how a holographic will works in Colorado and the step-by-step of writing a will by hand.

Why you copy the template by hand

The single most important rule: a holographic will must be handwritten. Under Colorado Revised Statutes Section 15-11-502(2), a will is valid as a holograph if the signature and the material portions of the document are in the testator's own handwriting.1 The "material portions" are the parts that actually give away your property: who inherits, what they inherit, and who you name to carry out your wishes.

This is why you cannot simply print the template below, sign it, and file it in a drawer. A typed or printed page signed at the bottom is not a valid holographic will in Colorado, because the gifts themselves were not written in your hand. Treat the samples here as a script to copy, not a form to fill in. Sit down with paper and a pen and write every meaningful sentence yourself.

The upside of the handwritten route: because Colorado is a Uniform Probate Code state, a holographic will needs no witnesses and no notary at all.2 Your own handwriting and signature are the proof. That is what makes it possible to create a legally sound will at your kitchen table in an afternoon.

Sample will: single person, no children

Here is a complete specimen for an unmarried person without children. Copy the wording in your own handwriting, inserting your own names, city, and date. The example uses a Colorado resident and a Denver date line.

Template: single person, no children

Last Will and Testament

I, Sarah J. Whitmore, of Denver, Colorado, being of sound mind, declare this to be my last will and testament. I revoke all previous wills and codicils.

I give all of my property, real and personal, of every kind, to my sister, Emily R. Whitmore of Boulder, Colorado. If she does not survive me, I give all of my property to the American Red Cross.

I appoint my sister, Emily R. Whitmore, as personal representative of my estate. If she is unable to serve, I appoint my friend, David L. Cortez of Aurora, Colorado.

Signed this 3rd day of July, 2026, in Denver, Colorado.

Sarah J. Whitmore

Sample will: married with children

This second specimen covers the most common situation: a married person who wants their spouse to inherit, with children as backup. Again, write out every line in your own hand.

Template: married with children

Last Will and Testament

I, Michael A. Brennan, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, being of sound mind, declare this to be my last will and testament. I revoke all prior wills and codicils.

I give all of my property, real and personal, to my wife, Laura K. Brennan. If my wife does not survive me, I give my entire estate in equal shares to my children, Ethan Brennan and Olivia Brennan, and if a child does not survive me, that child's share shall pass to that child's descendants.

I appoint my wife, Laura K. Brennan, as personal representative. If she cannot serve, I appoint my brother, Thomas Brennan of Denver, Colorado. If any of my children are minors at my death, I appoint my sister, Karen M. Brennan, as their guardian.

Signed this 3rd day of July, 2026, in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Michael A. Brennan

The signature rule that makes or breaks it

Your will is not finished until you sign it in your own handwriting. The signature is a mandatory element of a valid holographic will under Colorado law, alongside the handwritten gifts.2 Sign your full name at the end, after all the property provisions, so it is clear the signature approves everything above it.

Do not use a stamp, a typed name, or an initial in place of your signature. Write your name yourself. A date and place in the signature line, as shown in the samples, are not strictly required by the statute, but they help establish when the will was made and are strongly recommended.

One limit to know before you copy: a spouse's share

Colorado does not force you to leave anything to your children, so you have wide freedom in who you name. A spouse is different. Even if your will leaves everything elsewhere, a surviving husband or wife can claim a statutory elective share of the augmented estate under C.R.S. Section 15-11-201 and following.3 That share grows with the length of the marriage, reaching its full amount after a long marriage, so you cannot completely disinherit a spouse simply by writing them out of the document.

It is also worth knowing what happens with no will at all. Under Colorado's intestacy rules in C.R.S. Section 15-11-102, a surviving spouse takes the entire estate when all of the couple's descendants are shared and the spouse has no other children, but the spouse's share is reduced when there are children from another relationship.4 A clear handwritten will lets you set your own terms instead of leaving it to that default formula.

Storing your finished will

Once your will is written and signed, keep it somewhere safe and tell your personal representative where it is. Colorado offers a formal option: you may deposit your will with a district court for safekeeping during your lifetime under C.R.S. Section 15-11-515, where it is sealed and released only to you or a person you authorize in writing.5 A fireproof box at home or a bank safe deposit box also works, as long as the people who need it can reach it.

If you would rather answer a few plain questions and get a properly structured Colorado will to copy out, our online will builder walks you through it and produces text tailored to your family and your wishes.

Sources

  1. 1C.R.S. 15-11-502: Execution; witnessed, notarized, and holographic wills (law.justia.com)
  2. 2Colorado Revised Statutes 15-11-502: Execution (full text) (colorado.public.law)
  3. 3C.R.S. 15-11-202: Elective-share of surviving spouse (law.justia.com)
  4. 4C.R.S. 15-11-102: Intestate share of spouse (law.justia.com)
  5. 5C.R.S. 15-11-515: Deposit of will with court in testator's lifetime (law.justia.com)
Max Kuch

About the author

Max Kuch

Max Kuch writes about estate planning, wills and inheritance for Online Will Colorado. He gathers the rules from the Colorado statutes and the leading public data, then explains them in plain, accessible language so anyone can put their wishes in writing.

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Frequently asked questions

Yes, when you finish it correctly. Colorado recognizes the holographic will under C.R.S. Sec. 15-11-502(2). Such a will is valid if the signature and the material portions are in the testator's own handwriting, and no witnesses are required. Our service builds your draft to reflect Colorado succession law, but the document only becomes a valid holographic will once you copy the material portions in your own hand and sign it yourself. A printout that you merely sign does not qualify.

Because that is exactly what Colorado law demands for this route. Under C.R.S. Sec. 15-11-502(2), a holographic will skips the usual witness requirement only if the signature and the material portions are in your own handwriting. A typed or printed page, even with your signature, would not meet that test and could be rejected in probate. We give you a clean, finished draft so the handwriting step is simple: you copy the wording onto paper in your own hand and sign it.

Your children, generally yes. Colorado has no forced heirship, so you are free to decide who inherits and you may leave an adult child out (be clear and specific to reduce disputes). Your spouse is different. Under the elective share rules in C.R.S. Sec. 15-11-201 and following, a surviving spouse who is disinherited can claim a statutory share of the augmented estate, and the percentage grows with the length of the marriage. You cannot fully cut out a spouse against their will, so plan realistically around that right.

Somewhere safe, dry, and findable by the person who will handle your estate. Many people use a home fireproof box or a bank safe deposit box and tell their personal representative where it is. Colorado also lets you deposit your will with the clerk of the district court for safekeeping during your lifetime under C.R.S. Sec. 15-11-515. There is no separate central will registry in the state, so what matters most is that the original can actually be located after your death.

We do not recommend it. A single joint document shared by two people creates problems for a holographic will, because each testator's material portions and signature must be in that person's own handwriting, and a joint will can tie the survivor's hands later. The cleaner approach is two separate mirror wills: each spouse handwrites and signs their own document, with matching terms. Our service walks each of you through your own will so both are individually valid.

Yes, and it is easy to do. In Colorado you can revoke or replace a will at any time while you have capacity. The simplest, safest method is to write a brand new holographic will that is fully in your own handwriting and signed by you, stating that it revokes all prior wills. Avoid crossing out lines or writing notes in the margins of an existing will, since messy edits invite challenges. When life changes (marriage, divorce, a new child, a move), make a fresh will.

No, and we are upfront about that. Our service helps you produce a solid, Colorado-specific draft to copy out by hand, which suits many straightforward estates. It is not legal advice and it does not replace an attorney. If your situation is complex (blended families, business interests, sizable or out-of-state assets, trusts, or possible disputes over the spousal elective share), talk to a Colorado estate planning lawyer before you rely on a handwritten will.

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