Information Of Appointment

There are all sorts of forms executors, beneficiaries, and probate court clerks have to fill out and correspond with during probate and estate settlement, including affidavits, letters, petitions, summons, orders, and notices.

Information Of Appointment is a commonly used form within Colorado. Here’s an overview of what the form is and means, including a breakdown of the situations when (or why) you may need to use it:

Atticus Fast Facts About Information Of Appointment

Sometimes it’s tough to find a quick summary— here’s the important details you should know about Information Of Appointment:

• This form pertains to the State of Colorado

• The current version of this form was last revised on June 1, 2021

Government forms are not typically updated often, though when they are, it often happens rather quietly. While Atticus works hard to keep this information about Colorado’s Form JDF 940 SC - Information Of Appointment up to date, certain details can change from time-to-time with little or no communication.

Step 1 - Download the correct Colorado form based on the name and ID if applicable

Double check that you have both the correct form name and the correct form ID. Some Colorado probate forms can look remarkably similar, so it’s best to double, even triple-check that you’re using the right one! Keep in mind that not all States have a standardized Form ID system for their probate forms.

Step 2 - Complete the Document

Fill out all relevant fields in Form JDF 940 SC, take a break, and then review. Probate and estate settlement processes in CO are long enough to begin with, and making a silly error can push your timeline even farther back. No thank you!

Note: If you don’t currently know all of the answers and are accessing Form JDF 940 SC online, be sure to avoid closing the browser tab and potentially losing all your progress (or use a platform like Atticus to help avoid making mistakes).

Step 3 - Have Form JDF 940 SC witnessed or notarized (if required)

Some States and situations require particular forms to be notarized. If you have been instructed to get the document notarized or see it in writing on the document, then make sure to hire a local notary. There are max notary fees in the United States that are defined and set by local law. Take a look at our full guide to notary fees to make sure you aren’t overpaying or getting ripped off.

Step 4 - Submit Information Of Appointment to the relevant office

This is most often the local probate court where the decedent (person who passed away) is domiciled (permanently resides) or the institution involved with this particular form (e.g. a bank). Some offices allow you to submit forms online, other’s don’t, and we while we generally recommend going in-person to expedite the process, sometimes that simply isn’t an option.

It’s also a generally good idea to establish a positive working relationship with any probate clerk (unfortunately there’s enough people & process out there making things more difficult and unnecessarily confusing for them), so a best practice is to simply ask the probate clerk proactively exactly how and where they’d prefer you to submit all forms.

Need help getting in touch with a local probate court or identifying a domicile probate jurisdiction?

👉 Find and Contact your Local Probate Court

👉 What is a Domicile Jurisdiction?

Sponsored by Atticus App

Need help with Colorado Probate?

Join all the other families who have trusted Atticus through probate, and experience the peace that comes from knowing you're taking the right steps, spending the least amount of money, and not wasting a single second.

Start for free

Different probate forms or processes can require different deadlines or response times for completing the appropriate form.

While some steps in the process are bound to specific deadlines (like petitioning for probate, having to submit an inventory of assets, or filing applicable notices to creditors and beneficiaries), many probate forms or processes are not tied to a specific deadline since the scope of work can vary based on situational factors or requirements involved.

Either way, there are a bunch of practical reasons why personal representatives should work to complete each step as thoroughly and quickly as possible when completing probate in Colorado.

5 reasons you should submit JDF 940 SC as quickly as possible:

1. The sooner you begin, the faster Colorado can allow heirs and beneficiaries to get their share of assets subject to probate. Acting promptly can also decrease the costs & overall mental fatigue through an otherwise burdensome process.
   
   Helpful Context: What’s the Difference Between Probate and Non-Probate Assets?

2. In general, creditors of an estate usually have around 3-6 months from the time you file notice to creditors to file any claims for debt against the deceased’s assets. If they don’t, then that debt is forfeited (and more importantly, the executor won’t be held personally responsible). So doing this sooner means you have a better idea of who is owed what and ensures you won’t get a surprise collector months later.

3. Not filing a will within 30 days (on average) could mean that the probate process proceeds according to intestate laws (laws that govern what happens to someone's stuff without a will) or is subject to unnecessary supervision by the probate court. And if you aren't directly related to the deceased (a.k.a. next of kin), this could also mean you lose your inheritance.

4. It’s important to file any necessary state tax returns on behalf of the deceased or estate by the following tax season in Colorado. If you don’t, you could owe penalties and interest. This also includes any necessary federal tax returns such as Forms 1040, 1041, or even a Form 706 estate tax return.

5. If a house in the State of Colorado is left empty (or abandoned) for a while, insurance can get dicey. For example, if the house burns down and no one has been there for a year, an insurance company may get out of paying your claim.

If you’re not using Atticus to get specific forms, deadlines, and timelines for Colorado probate, then try and stay as organized as possible, pay close attention to the dates mentioned in any correspondence you have with the State’s government officials, call the local Colorado probate clerk or court for exact answers regarding Form JDF 940 SC, and when in doubt— consult a qualified trust & estates lawyer for that area.

Information Of Appointment is one of the many probate court forms available for download through Atticus.

It may also be available through some Colorado probate court sites, such as . In order to access the latest version, be updated with any revisions, and get full instructions on how to complete each form, check out the Atticus Probate & Estate Settlement software or consider hiring a qualified legal expert locally within Colorado.

While Atticus automatically provides the latest forms, be sure to choose the correct version of Form JDF 940 SC - Information Of Appointment f using any other site or resource in order to avoid having to re-complete the form process and/or make another trip to the Colorado probate court office.

Information Of Appointment is a .pdf, so opening it should be as simple as clicking “View Form” from within the Atticus app or by clicking the appropriate link found on any Colorado-provided government platform. Once you’ve opened the form, you should be able to directly edit the form before saving or printing.

Here’s the text, verbatim, that is found on Colorado Form JDF 940 SC - Information Of Appointment. You can use this to get an idea of the context of the form and what type of information is needed.

JDF 940SC R 6/21 INFORMATION OF APPOINTMENT Page 1 of 3 qDistrict Court qDenver Probate Court ___________________ County, Colorado Court Address: In the Matter of the Estate of: Deceased COURT USE ONLY Attorney or Party Without Attorney (Name and Address): Phone Number: E-mail: FAX Number: Atty. Reg. #: Case Number: Division Courtroom INFORMATION OF APPOINTMENT Important Notice The court will not routinely review or adjudicate matters unless it is specifically requested to do so by a beneficiary, creditor, or other interested person. All interested persons, including beneficiaries and creditors, have the responsibility to protect their own rights and interests in the estate in the manner provided by the provisions of the Colorado Probate Code, § 15- 10- 101, et seq., C.R.S, by filing an appropriate pleading with the court by which the estate is being administered and serving it on all interested persons pursuant to § 15- 10- 401, C.R.S. All interested persons have the right to obtain information about the estate by filing a Demand for Notice pursuant to § 15- 12- 204, C.R.S. To the heirs and devisees who have or may have an interest in this estate: 1. The decedent died on (date). 2. qThe decedent left no will. qThe decedent left a will dated . The dates of all codicils are . The will and any codicils were admitted to probate on (date). 3. qProceedings in this matter are informal. qProceedings in this matter are formal. 4. (name) was appointed as personal representative on (date). Pursuant to § 15-12- 705(1)(a), C.R.S., the personal representative’s address is as follows: Street Address: City: State : Zi p Code: Mailing Address (if different than the street address): 5. qNo bond has been filed with this court. qBond has been filed with this court in the amount of $ . JDF 940SC R 6/21 INFORMATION OF APPOINTMENT Page 2 of 3 6. qAdministration of this estate is unsupervised. The court will consider ordering supervised administration if requested by an interested person. (§ 15- 12- 501, et. seq., C.R.S.) qAdministration of this estate is supervised. 7. This Information of Appointment is being sent to persons who have or may have some interest in the estate being administered. 8. Papers relating to this estate, including an inventory of estate assets, are either on file with this court or, if not, papers may be obtained by interested persons from the personal representative. (§§15- 12- 705, C.R.S. and 15- 12- 706(2), C.R.S.) 9. Interested persons are entitled to receive an accounting. (§§15-12- 1001 to 15-12- 1003, C.R.S.) 10. The surviving spouse, partner in a civil union, children under twenty-one years of age, and dependent children may be entitled to exempt property and a family allowance if a request for payment is made in the manner and within the time limits prescribed by statutes. (§15-11- 401, et. seq., C.R.S.) 11. The surviving spouse or partner in a civil union may have a right of election to take a portion of the augmented estate if a petition is filed within the time limits prescribed by statute. (§15-11- 201, et seq., C.R.S.) 12. Any individual who has knowledge that there is or may be an intention to use an individual’s genetic material to create a child and that the birth of the child could affect the distribution of the decedent’s estate should give written notice of such knowledge to the personal representative of the decedent’s estate. 13. Any individual who has knowledge that there is a valid, unrevoked designated beneficiary agreement in which the decedent granted the right of intestate succession should give written notice of such knowledge to the personal representative of the decedent’s estate. VERIFICATION I declare under penalty of perjury under the law of Colorado that the foregoing is true and correct. Executed on the ______ day of ___________, _________, (date) (month) (year) at ______________________________________ (city or other location, and state OR country) _______________________________ (printed name) _______________________________ (signature) ____________________________________________ __________________ Attorney Signature, (if any) Date JDF 940SC R 6/21 INFORMATION OF APPOINTMENT Page 3 of 3 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I certify that on ___________________ (date), a copy of this _______________ (name of document) was served as follows on each of the following: Name and Address Relationship to Decedent, Ward, or Protected Person Manner of Service* *Insert one of the following: hand delivery, first-class mail, certified mail, e-service, or fax. ___________________________________________ Signature Note : • This Information of Appointment must be given within 30 days of appointment of the personal representative. In the event a will exists but there has been no formal testacy proceeding and the personal representative was appointed on the assumption of intestacy, this Information of Appointment must also be given to the devisees named in any existing wills. A copy of this Information of Appointment and Certificate of Service must be promptly filed with the Court (§ 15-12- 705, C.R.S.).