A will is instructions for a court
A last will and testament speaks after you die. Someone files it. A judge’s process — probate — is how those instructions get carried out.
In Davis County, that file is at the Second District Court in Farmington, 800 West State Street. In Salt Lake County, it’s the Third District Court downtown. There isn’t a separate probate court in Woods Cross, Kaysville, or Layton.
This is where you name a guardian
If you have minor children, the will is where you name who should raise them. Without that nomination, a judge chooses.
I wrote about naming backup parents. Name a first choice and a backup. Tell them.
The will does not run every account
A 401(k), an IRA, and a life insurance policy pay the person on the beneficiary form. The will does not override that form.
Payable-on-death and transfer-on-death accounts work the same way. I wrote about beneficiary designations and about POD and TOD forms.
A will alone, or a will behind a trust
A will-only plan can fit a renter with simple accounts. If you own a home, I usually pair a revocable living trust with a pour-over will.
The pour-over will catches anything that never made it into the trust. It is the safety net. It is not a substitute for funding the house. The comparison is in will or trust.
It is part of the plan, not a standalone product
I don’t sell a will by itself off a menu. It comes with the rest of the package: the trust when you need one, the financial powers of attorney, and the health care documents.
Individual plans start at $2,500. Joint plans start at $3,500. See the pricing page and the estate planning overview.
Book a consultation if you want me to look at what you have. I’m licensed in Utah, Arizona, and Texas.