2021 Colorado Code
Title 15 - Probate, Trusts, and Fiduciaries
Article 22 - Designated Beneficiary Agreements
§ 15-22-105. Effects and Applicability of a Designated Beneficiary Agreement

1. A person named as a designated beneficiary in a designated beneficiary agreement shall be entitled to exercise the rights and protections specified in the agreement by virtue of having been so named.
2. A designated beneficiary agreement that is properly executed and recorded as provided in section 15-22-104 (2) shall be valid and legally enforceable in the absence of a superseding legal document that conflicts with the provisions specified in the designated beneficiary agreement.
3. A designated beneficiary agreement shall entitle the parties to exercise the following rights and enjoy the following protections, unless specifically excluded from the designated beneficiary agreement:
   1. The right to acquire, hold title to, own jointly, or transfer inter vivos or at death real or personal property as joint tenants with right of survivorship or as tenants in common;
   2. The right to be designated as a beneficiary, payee, or owner as a trustee named in an inter vivos or testamentary trust for the purposes of a nonprobate transfer on death;
   3. For purposes of the following benefits, the right to be designated as a beneficiary and recognized as a dependent so long as notice is given in accordance with any applicable statute, rule, contract, policy, procedure, or other government document of the following benefits:
      1. Public employees' retirement systems pursuant to articles 51 to 54.6 of title 24, C.R.S.;
      2. Local government firefighter and police pensions;
      3. Insurance policies for life insurance coverage; and
      4. Health insurance policies or health coverage if the employer of the designated beneficiary elects to provide coverage for designated beneficiaries as dependents;

   4. The right to petition for and have priority for appointment as a conservator, guardian, or personal representative for the other designated beneficiary;
   5. The right to visitation by the other designated beneficiary in a hospital, nursing home, hospice, or similar health-care facility in which a party to a designated beneficiary resides or is receiving care, including the right to initiate a formal complaint alleging a violation of the rights of nursing home patients specified in section 25-1-120, C.R.S.;
   6. The right to act as a proxy decision-maker or surrogate decision-maker to make medical treatment decisions for the other designated beneficiary as if selected pursuant to section 15-18.5-103 or 15-18.5-104;
   7. The right to receive notice of the withholding or withdrawal of life-sustaining procedures for the other designated beneficiary pursuant to section 15-18-107 and the right to challenge the validity of a declaration as to medical or surgical treatment of the other designated beneficiary pursuant to section 15-18-107;
   8. The right, with respect to the other designated beneficiary, to act as an agent and to make, revoke, or object to anatomical gifts pursuant to the “Revised Uniform Anatomical Gift Act”, part 2 of article 19 of this title 15;
   9. The right to inherit real or personal property from the other designated beneficiary through intestate succession;
   10. The right to have standing to receive benefits pursuant to the “Workers' Compensation Act of Colorado”, articles 40 to 47 of title 8, C.R.S., made on behalf of the other designated beneficiary;
   11. The right to have standing to sue for wrongful death on behalf of the other designated beneficiary; and
   12. The right to direct the disposition of the other designated beneficiary's last remains pursuant to article 19 of this title.

4. This article shall not be construed to create any rights, protections, or responsibilities for designated beneficiaries that are not specifically enumerated in the designated beneficiary agreement as authorized in this article.
5. Nothing in this article shall be construed to create evidence of a party's intent to form a common law marriage.
6. Execution of a designated beneficiary agreement shall in no way impede the ability of individuals to make specific determinations as to any or all of the matters specified in this article by acting through superseding legal documents or other contracts or instruments.
7. In the event that a superseding legal document is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the designated beneficiary agreement shall control despite the attempt to supersede its provisions.

History. Source: L. 2009: Entire article added,(HB 09-1260), ch. 107, p. 431, § 1, effective July 1. L. 2017: (3)(h) amended,(SB 17-223), ch. 158, p. 560, § 14, effective August 9.

For provisions relating to coverage of a state employee's domestic partner as a dependent under a state employee group benefit plan, see § 24-50-603 .