Estate Planning Resources
Practical guidance on wills, trusts, probate, business succession planning, and protecting the people and businesses you care about most.
Why Southern Utah Families Need a Mission Statement (Not Just a Will)
Most people know they should have a will or a trust. But far fewer have ever had a conversation with their family about something even more important: why their money exists in the first place. Here in Southern Utah, especially among business owners and hardworking families, wealth is rarely [...]
What Anne Heche’s Estate Is Still Teaching Families—Nearly 4 Years Later
When you pass away, your family isn’t just dealing with grief. They’re making phone calls. Digging through accounts. Trying to piece together your financial life while navigating a legal system they’ve never seen before. And if there’s no plan in place, that process can drag on for years. We’re [...]
What Happens to Your Kids If Something Happens to You? A Case Every Parent Should Think About
Most parents assume that if something happened to them, the other parent would step in and take care of the kids. That’s the assumption. But a real court case shows that it’s not always that simple—and when things go wrong, the consequences can be serious for your child. Let’s [...]
Estate Planning for Unmarried Couples in Southern Utah: How to Protect the Person You Love
You and your partner have built a life together. Maybe you own a home, run a business, share responsibilities, and rely on each other every day. In every way that matters—you’re family. But here’s the hard truth: the law doesn’t see it that way. If you’re not legally married, [...]
What Can Happen to Blended Families When a Spouse Dies
For many Southern Utah families—especially business owners—retirement accounts like 401(k)s and IRAs aren’t just part of the plan… they are the plan. In fact, these accounts often make up one of the largest portions of a family’s wealth. So naturally, one of the most important questions becomes: What actually [...]
What Happens to Your Retirement Accounts After You Die? (And How to Protect Them)
For many Southern Utah families—especially business owners—retirement accounts like 401(k)s and IRAs aren’t just part of the plan… they are the plan. In fact, these accounts often make up one of the largest portions of a family’s wealth. So naturally, one of the most important questions becomes: What actually [...]
Creating a Trust in Your Will vs. Creating a Living Trust: Part 1
If you own a business, property, or other assets in Southern Utah, you’ve probably heard that trusts help families avoid probate and protect what you’ve built. Many people come to us saying something like, “I think I need a trust.” Sometimes a lawyer may suggest including a trust inside [...]
Why There’s No Such Thing as a “Quick” Estate Plan Review
It is common for someone to call an estate planning attorney and ask for a “quick look” at their documents. The request usually sounds simple enough. Perhaps the plan was created through an online service and they want reassurance that everything is valid. Maybe they recently moved to Utah [...]
Understanding Inheritance Taxes in Utah: What Your Family Really Needs to Know
When you’ve worked hard to build a business, grow investments, and provide for your family, the last thing you want is for taxes to take a bigger bite than necessary. One of the most common questions we hear from Southern Utah families is: “Will my kids have to pay [...]