Estate Planning Attorney in Centerville, Utah
Flat-fee estate plans for Centerville families. Trusts, wills, guardianship designations, and documents that comply with the current Utah Advance Directive law.
Centerville is a community in the middle of Davis County with a mix of long-time residents, young families who have moved in over the past decade, and retirees downsizing from larger homes elsewhere along the Wasatch Front. Each of these groups has different estate planning priorities, but they share a common reality: Utah's estate planning landscape has shifted in the last few years, and documents signed under older law often need updating.
Our office in North Salt Lake is about a ten-minute drive south of Centerville. Take Interstate 15 south from Parrish Lane (Exit 319), exit at 315 (Center Street / 2600 South), and we are one block east.
Estate planning for Centerville families — what you actually need
For most Centerville families, a complete estate plan includes four documents that work together:
- A revocable living trust that owns your home, investment accounts, and any other meaningful assets outside of retirement accounts.
- A pour-over will that names a guardian for minor children and serves as a backup for anything not properly titled to the trust.
- A financial power of attorney naming someone to handle your finances if you are incapacitated.
- A Utah Advance Health Care Directive under the 2026 updated Utah statute — this document combines healthcare decision-making authority with end-of-life preferences.
We coordinate all four documents as a single flat-fee package. For families with minor children, the guardian nomination in the will is often the most important decision you will make — without it, a judge chooses who raises your children if you and your spouse are both gone.
The new Utah Advance Directive — important for Centerville residents with older plans
Utah's Advance Health Care Directive Act was updated effective January 1, 2026. The older "Living Will" and separate "Healthcare Power of Attorney" forms were consolidated into a single updated Advance Directive document.
If you signed an advance directive before 2026, it is still legally valid — the law did not void prior documents. But the older forms reference statutes and terminology that hospitals may not recognize as readily, and the combined 2026 form better aligns with what providers now expect to see. For Centerville residents with plans from the 2000s or 2010s, updating the healthcare documents is often the single highest-value change you can make.
We handle the update as a standalone service if the rest of your plan is still in order, or as part of a full plan restatement if more substantial changes are needed.
Guardianship — the most important decision in estate planning for young families
Centerville has a large number of families with minor children. If you have children under 18, the guardian designation in your will is the document that tells the court — and your extended family — who you want raising your kids if you and your spouse are both gone.
This is not a decision to leave implicit. Families who don't name a guardian end up with a court choosing among competing relatives, often in the middle of an already difficult situation. We walk through the practical considerations during the consultation: who has the capacity and willingness, whether you want different people handling money versus daily care, and whether there are family members you specifically do not want involved.
A properly written will names a primary guardian, a backup, and — if appropriate — a separate trustee to manage any funds you leave for the children's benefit.
Why a trust, not just a will
Most Centerville clients ask this question early. Here's the direct answer:
- A will alone means probate. — Your family goes to the Second District Court in Farmington, the case is public record, and the process typically takes four to six months for an uncontested estate.
- A funded trust avoids probate entirely. — Your successor trustee — usually your spouse or an adult child — takes over the trust's assets privately and distributes them according to your instructions, without a court case.
For families with a home, retirement accounts, and life insurance, the time and cost savings from a funded trust usually exceed the cost of setting one up. For simpler situations — a young family with modest assets and no real property — a will-only plan may be sufficient. We tell you honestly at the consultation which path makes sense for your situation.
Getting to our office from Centerville
- From central Centerville: west on Parrish Lane to I-15, south to Exit 315 (Center Street / 2600 South), east one block to 500 East, south to the office
- From east Centerville: US-89 south to 400 North in Bountiful, west to 500 East, south to the office
- From the Centerville bench: Legacy Parkway south, merge to I-15, Exit 315
About ten minutes total from most Centerville neighborhoods. The office is on the second floor and parking is free.
Frequently Asked Questions — Centerville Estate Planning
Schedule a Centerville Estate Planning Consultation
We serve Centerville and the surrounding Davis County communities, and we will give you a straight recommendation and a flat-fee quote at the first meeting.