Estate Planning Attorney in Utah
Wills, trusts, asset protection, and business succession planning built by a firm that also handles business and franchise law.
FBLG Law
Expert Estate Planning Services
An estate plan built by a generalist firm handles the basics: a will, maybe a revocable trust, and a stack of forms you sign once and forget. FBLG’s Utah estate planning attorneys work differently. We’re a business and franchise law firm first, which means the person drafting your trust already understands your operating agreement, your personal guarantee, and the professional liability that comes with running a company.
Most estate planning firms only see one side of a client’s financial life — the personal side. We built our practice from the other side first. Our attorneys draft franchise agreements, form entities, and handle business succession every week, so when we build your estate plan, we’re already thinking about how it interacts with your operating agreement, your buy-sell provisions, and the guarantee you signed on the office lease.
Most clients meet with us in person at our office in downtown Salt Lake City, though we work with individuals, families, and business owners throughout Utah. If you’re located in the Salt Lake area, see our Estate Planning Attorney in Salt Lake City page for office details and local filing information.
Other Estate Planning Services
A will and a revocable trust are a starting point. If you own a business, hold real estate, or carry professional liability, they’re usually not the finish line.
Depending on your situation, a complete plan might include an irrevocable trust, a business succession strategy, or documents that protect you and your family if you’re ever incapacitated. Utah probate and trust law shapes which of these actually apply to you.
Every estate plan starts with a conversation about what you own and who depends on you. Explore whichever of these applies to your situation, or schedule a consultation and we’ll walk through it together.
Wills & Trusts
A will directs how your assets are distributed and who raises your minor children. A revocable living trust can do that while helping your family avoid Utah probate. Most clients need both, structured to work together.
Asset Protection & Irrevocable Trusts
If you have significant assets, professional liability exposure, or a business with real risk attached to it, a revocable trust alone may not be enough. We help clients evaluate irrevocable trusts, Utah asset protection trusts, and other strategies built around actual risk.
Business Succession & Estate Planning
Your business is probably your largest asset and your hardest one to plan around. We coordinate your personal estate plan with your operating agreement, buy-sell agreement, and succession strategy so the business survives you — or your exit — intact.
Probate & Trust Administration
When a loved one passes away, someone has to settle the estate: filing with the court, paying debts, and distributing assets to beneficiaries. We guide personal representatives and trustees through Utah probate and trust administration.
Powers of Attorney & Advance Health Care Directives
A power of attorney lets someone you trust manage your finances if you can’t. An advance health care directive tells your doctors and family what kind of care you want. Both take five minutes to sign.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a will if I already have a trust?
Yes. A trust generally doesn’t cover everything you own, and a will still names guardians for minor children and directs any leftover assets, through a pour-over will, into your trust. We draft them together, not one instead of the other.
What happens if I die without a will in Utah?
Utah’s intestacy statute decides who inherits, and it doesn’t ask what you would have wanted. A surviving spouse, for example, may have to split the estate with your children instead of receiving all of it.
How is estate planning different for business owners?
Your business interest has to be addressed specifically, through a buy-sell agreement, a succession plan, or a trust structured to hold the ownership interest, or it can end up frozen, forced into a sale, or inherited by someone who has no idea how to run it.
How much does estate planning cost in Utah?
It depends on whether you need a basic will-based plan, a trust-based plan, or something more advanced like an irrevocable trust or business succession structure. We quote a flat fee after the initial consultation.
How often should I update my estate plan?
Review it after a major life event, such as a marriage, divorce, new child, business sale, or move to a new state, and otherwise every three to five years.
FBLG Law
We've Been Busy
Our attorneys are honored to be the recipient of multiple national and state awards. Since 2014 The Franchise & Business Law Group has been awarded with the US News Best Law Firms for Franchise Law; for the second consecutive year, The Franchise & Business Law Group has been awarded “Best of State” for legal services in the State of Utah, and our attorneys are recognized as Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers, Legal Eagles, and as Utah Legal Elite by Utah Business Magazine, among other awards and honors. Choosing the right franchise attorney is key to making a smart investment.
A good lawyer does not just skim your documents. They break them down, point out red flags, and negotiate better terms to protect your interests. Our team members are recognized as Super Lawyers and Legal Eagles, providing you with the confidence that you are working with the right team.
