Why Everyone in Salt Lake City Needs an Estate Planning Attorney

There’s no better way to secure your future and protect your family than by creating an estate plan. As an experienced estate planning attorney in Salt Lake City, I ensure that your wishes are clearly documented and legally protected. With a comprehensive estate plan, I can help you make sure your assets are handled the way you want and ease the burden on your loved ones by avoiding messy probate proceedings during a difficult time. Without proper planning, your assets and healthcare decisions could end up in the wrong hands.

What is Estate Planning?

Estate planning is the process of organizing your financial, legal, and healthcare affairs to ensure that your wishes are respected if you become incapacitated or pass away. It involves creating essential estate planning documents like wills and trusts to specify how your assets should be distributed among your heirs and beneficiaries, and who should make decisions on your behalf when you’re unable to make them yourself.

What Does an Estate Planning Attorney Do?

As an estate planning lawyer, I work with you to create a plan that dictates what happens to your assets, life insurance, and other valuables after your passing. I do much more than just writing a will. In the event of incapacity, I can help ensure your assets are protected and that decisions are made according to your wishes through durable powers of attorney, special needs trusts, and living trusts.

The first thing I help you consider when creating an estate plan is setting your priorities. I take the time to listen to your preferences and understand the unique needs of your family. Depending on your situation, I can help ensure that your minor children, dependents with special needs, or other family members are provided for after your death.

Read my article on “Estate Planning Is About Knowing Your Priorities”   to learn more about how to identify and prioritize your estate planning needs.

Who Needs an Estate Planning Attorney in Salt Lake City?

Estate planning isn’t just for the wealthy—it’s for anyone who wants to ensure their wishes are carried out and their loved ones are protected. Whether you’re starting a family, buying property, or thinking about retirement, an estate plan can provide peace of mind at any stage of life.

For example, if you’re a Salt Lake City parent with young children, you may need to designate guardians in your will or set up a trust to ensure your children’s financial security. If you’re nearing retirement, you may want to focus on preserving assets through trusts, as well as planning for healthcare needs by establishing advanced healthcare directives or a durable power of attorney.

Tax planning is also an important part of your estate plan.   Utah has no estate tax, but if your estate is large enough, the federal government may impose estate taxes, so your estate plan should include instructions for settling any federal estate taxes.

What Happens If You Don’t Have an Estate Plan?

Without an estate plan, you’re essentially leaving everything up to probate courts. For example, if you die without a will in Salt Lake City and have young children, the probate court will decide who becomes their guardian—and it might not be who you would have chosen. Utah Code Title 75, Chapter 2 governs how the estate is distributed when someone dies intestate (without a will).

The court will appoint someone as Personal Representative, usually a family member, to administer the estate and distribute your assets. But again, it may not be the person you’d want in charge. Having a properly drafted estate plan ensures that these decisions are made according to your wishes, relieving your family of unnecessary stress during a tough time.

Protect Your Legacy with an Estate Planning Attorney in Salt Lake City

As an experienced Salt Lake City estate planning lawyer, I can help you minimize taxes and avoid an extended, costly probate process. At Watts Law, I specialize in asset protection laws, elder law, Medicaid planning, and trust planning and can help create a customized plan for you.

Don’t leave your future to chance— schedule a free consultation with me at Watts Law   to secure your legacy and protect your loved ones.