Quick answer: There's no statutory percentage in Colorado. The old dedicated compensation statute, former C.R.S. § 15-12-719, has been repealed. Compensation is now governed by C.R.S. § 15-10-602, entitling "a fiduciary and his or her lawyer" to "reasonable compensation for services rendered," with the rate customarily charged in the local community as a central factor under § 15-10-603. There's no fixed number to quote — get an illustrative estimate with the Colorado executor fee calculator.
A rewritten statute, not just an updated one
Former C.R.S. § 15-12-719, "Compensation of Personal Representative," is REPEALED — confirmed directly against multiple years of the Colorado Revised Statutes, all showing the section as repealed. Compensation now falls under a newer "Compensation and Cost Recovery" part of the probate code (§§ 15-10-601 through 15-10-606), covering personal representatives together with conservators, guardians, agents, custodians, and trustees under one unified standard, rather than a dedicated executor-specific section.
"Reasonable compensation," and what that's measured against
C.R.S. § 15-10-602(1): "A fiduciary and his or her lawyer are entitled to reasonable compensation for services rendered on behalf of an estate."
C.R.S. § 15-10-603(3) ties reasonableness to the compensation customarily charged in the local "community" — defined as the general geographic area where the estate is administered, or where the respondent, ward, or protected person resides — adjusted for the complexity or uniqueness of the work, the need for specialized expertise, and whether outside fiduciaries or lawyers were advisable to avoid conflicts of interest.
Self-administered — until removal proceedings start
§ 15-10-602(5): compensation can generally be paid or reimbursed without a court order, unless a court order restricts it. But once a fiduciary receives notice of proceedings for their own removal, that changes: they may not pay themselves compensation or attorney fees from the estate without a court order. The court must also order refunds of any compensation later found excessive.
A mandatory disclosure, from the very first filing
§ 15-10-602(9): every petition to appoint a fiduciary must disclose the basis for compensation — hourly rates, a published fee schedule, extraordinary-service billing, or a note that the basis isn't determined yet — and must be updated if that basis materially changes during administration.
Working with a law firm
A fiduciary who belongs to a law firm can use the firm's staff — partners, associates, paralegals, law clerks, trust officers, caregivers, social workers — and charge for the reasonable value of their work, as long as the collaboration and the aggregate total are reasonable under the circumstances.
A sense of typical rates
Secondary sources describe Colorado's public administrators — attorneys appointed by the court when no one else is available or the family can't agree — charging in excess of $200 per hour, with paralegal time in Denver around $125 per hour. Courts treat these as evidence of what's customary in that locality, not as a mandated statewide rate.
Facing probate in Colorado?A local probate attorney can review your estate — many offer a free consultation.
Talk to a Colorado attorneyEstimate for general guidance only, not legal advice. Based on C.R.S. § 15-10-602 and § 15-10-603. Colorado sets no statutory percentage or fixed hourly rate; illustrative figures come from secondary sources describing typical public administrator rates, not law. Verify with the probate court or a licensed Colorado attorney.