University Ave. Plaza
470 N University Ave #202
Provo, UT 84601
Phone: 385-224-3765
Planning for the future often takes a backseat to the demands of daily life. Yet without a clear estate plan, your family could face delays in asset distribution, costly probate proceedings, or uncertainty over who will manage your affairs. In Utah, these challenges become more complex if you haven’t legally designated someone to make financial or medical decisions on your behalf.
Working with an attorney can simplify the process and ensure your documents are enforceable. A lawyer can help you understand what legal tools you need—whether that’s a will, trust, or power of attorney—while avoiding the mistakes that often occur with DIY solutions. Having the proper documents in place gives you and your loved ones clarity during life’s most difficult moments.
At Alta Legal, we provide estate planning services that are as personal as they are practical. We take the time to understand your goals, explain your options in plain language, and build plans that can adapt to changing circumstances. Whether you’re starting from scratch or updating existing documents, we bring experience and care to every estate we handle.
Estate planning isn’t just for the wealthy. It’s a legal strategy that benefits anyone who wants control over their property, medical care, and family decisions in the future. In Utah, a solid estate plan typically includes a combination of the following documents:
Our experienced estate planning attorney can explain these tools and help you decide which suits your needs. The goal is to ensure everything works together so nothing is left unaddressed.
Probate can be time-consuming, expensive, and emotionally draining for families. It’s a court-supervised process that’s triggered when someone passes away with only a will or no estate plan at all. While having a will is better than nothing, it still requires probate unless assets are placed into a properly funded trust. The probate process can stretch for months or even years, depending on the complexity of the estate and potential disputes between heirs.
Using a revocable living trust allows your assets to pass directly to beneficiaries without court involvement. It also helps maintain privacy, reduce the chances of inheritance disputes, and protect your family from public scrutiny. We help clients set up and fund trusts so they work as intended, ensuring assets are titled properly and all legal requirements are met.
One of the most overlooked parts of estate planning is what happens if you’re alive but unable to manage your affairs. A car accident, stroke, or serious illness could leave you incapacitated without warning. If you haven’t named a trusted individual to step in, your family may be forced to go through guardianship proceedings in court. This can be stressful and time-consuming, often resulting in someone you wouldn’t have chosen being appointed.
We help clients prepare durable powers of attorney for financial matters and advance directives for healthcare decisions. These documents ensure that the people you trust, not a judge, will have the authority to act on your behalf, helping avoid conflict and ensuring that your personal and financial matters are handled smoothly and according to your values.
Estate planning also provides peace of mind regarding family dynamics. Utah families come in all forms—blended families, unmarried partners, and children from multiple marriages—and each presents its own planning considerations. Without clear instructions, loved ones could be left out unintentionally or face legal challenges from others, which may cause resentment or confusion that lasts for years.
Whether you want to protect a spouse’s right to stay in the home, leave assets to children at specific ages, or ensure fairness among multiple heirs, a detailed plan can prevent unnecessary conflict. An estate planning attorney can structure your documents to reflect your intentions clearly and legally, while helping you communicate those plans effectively with the people who matter most.
As more of life is conducted online, estate planning must address digital assets. These include email accounts, cryptocurrency wallets, cloud storage, and social media profiles. Your loved ones may struggle to access or manage these accounts without the proper provisions after your death.
We help clients inventory their digital assets and designate trusted individuals to access and manage them. These instructions can be included in your estate plan and reinforced with secure documentation to prevent data loss or unauthorized access.
Some clients are concerned about future nursing home costs or the potential need for Medicaid. Others want to preserve wealth for future generations. We provide planning options, such as irrevocable trusts, gifting strategies, and other asset protection tools, that consider these long-term goals.
We also coordinate with financial advisors and accountants when appropriate to ensure your estate plan supports your overall financial picture. Our role is to provide the legal structure that protects what you’ve built.
Life doesn’t stand still—and neither should your estate plan. You should review and potentially update your plan:
Our team offers estate plan reviews to ensure your documents reflect your wishes and comply with current laws. When in doubt, consulting an estate planning attorney helps clarify whether revisions are needed.
Our wills, trusts, and estates practice is dedicated to providing clients with the range of services associated with estate and gift planning and the preservation of personal and business assets. Our experienced attorneys advise individuals, as well as provide assistance with probate and trust and estate planning and administration. When seeking legal representation for estate planning, it is important to choose a lawyer who possesses both the technical knowledge and the practical experience to help you achieve your goals and minimize the risk of costly family litigation. Changes in family circumstances can require modifications to your estate plan as well, and at Alta Legal we emphasize forging lasting relationships with our clients so that we can provide advice and guidance when the need arises.
Let Alta Legal provide you with with a custom estate plan that will give you the peace of mind knowing that your wishes will be taken care of. We are here for you!
Do I need both a will and a trust?
Not always, but many people benefit from having both. A will can address guardianship and assets not placed in a trust, while a trust can help you avoid probate.
When should I start estate planning?
As soon as you own property, have children, or want to direct who manages your affairs if you’re incapacitated.
Can I change my estate plan later?
Yes. Most estate plans, especially revocable trusts and powers of attorney, can be amended as life changes.
What happens if I don’t have an estate plan in Utah?
Your assets will be distributed according to state intestacy laws, which may not reflect your wishes.
No one knows what tomorrow holds. Failing to create an estate plan can leave your loved ones dealing with confusion, court delays, or avoidable legal costs. These problems are especially difficult to manage during times of grief or crisis.
Alta Legal offers reliable, forward-looking guidance to help Utah families create legally sound estate plans. We focus on practical solutions and personal relationships that carry through life’s changes.
Contact our office to schedule a time with our estate planning attorney, who can help you protect what matters most.
