Bountiful firm serving Davis, Salt Lake, and Weber counties, with a practice built around people with disabilities and their families. Handles probate for personal representatives, estate litigation over wills, trusts, and a personal representative's actions, and guardianship and conservatorship petitions. Also files Social Security Disability claims and drafts special needs trusts.
Estate Planning for Salt Lake County, Utah Property Owners
For most Salt Lake County homeowners, the house is what drags an estate into probate. A transfer-on-death deed or a living trust keeps it out—here is how to set up either one and record it locally.
For a Salt Lake County property owner, the biggest probate risk is the home itself. Real estate is what forces most families into the District Court. The two tools that keep a Salt Lake County home out of probate are a transfer-on-death deed recorded with the County Recorder, and a revocable living trust that holds title to the property.
Skipping this planning step means the District Court decides who receives the property: a simple Utah probate takes 4+ months and opens with $375 in court filing fees.
Record a Transfer-on-Death Deed in Salt Lake County
A transfer on death deed names a beneficiary who receives Salt Lake County property automatically at the owner's death, without probate. It is recorded with the County Recorder during the owner's lifetime and can be revoked at any time.
Before recording, an Utah transfer on death deed is signed with notary acknowledgmentUtah Code 75-6-401 to 75-6-419Verified Oct 19, 2026View source. The deed takes effect only if it is recorded before the owner's deathUtah Code 75-6-401 to 75-6-419Verified Oct 19, 2026View source.
Where to Record Property Documents
Deeds and other real property documents for Salt Lake County are recorded with the County Recorder at 2001 South State Street, Suite N1-600, Salt Lake City, UT 84190. Phone: 1-385-468-8145. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM.
The County Recorder charges $40 flat, regardless of page count. A 2-page transfer on death deed costs $40 to record in Salt Lake County. No transfer tax applies to a transfer on death deed.
Salt Lake County accepts electronic recording.
Recording Office Record
County Recorder
Salt Lake County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Office
2001 South State Street, Suite N1-600, Salt Lake City, UT 84190
Website
E-recording
available
Fees
Recording fees
| Flat fee (any length) | $40 |
| Transfer tax on a TOD deed | No transfer tax applies to TOD deeds |
Utah Code 17-71-407(3)(a)(i) (formerly 17-21-18.5)
Verified October 17, 2026 · Source
Estate Planning Attorneys Serving Salt Lake County
Salt Lake City estate planning practice of attorney James P. Alder, with offices in Sugarhouse and Bountiful. Handles probate and estate and trust administration: opening the estate, presenting the will, inventorying assets, and paying creditors, alongside guardianships, conservatorships, and Medicaid planning. Initial calls and consultations can be held by telephone or Zoom.
Salt Lake City firm of nearly 100 lawyers, founded in 1991 and now part of Dentons, with Utah offices in Lehi, St. George, and Ogden. Its Trusts, Estates and Wealth Preservation lawyers handle probate proceedings, estate and trust administration and accountings, guardianships, estate and gift tax returns, and family settlement agreements.
Salt Lake City firm in the Judge Building on East Broadway, known mainly for divorce and family law. Guides executors and trustees through probate and trust administration and resolves conflicts that arise during an estate, alongside drafting wills and revocable and irrevocable trusts. Two of its attorneys practice before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Salt Lake City firm with offices downtown, in Lehi and in St. George, plus Boise. Its probate and trusts attorneys handle informal and formal probate, petitions to determine heirs, small-estate affidavits, and trust litigation over trustee breaches and distributions; the estate planning group advises trustees and is often asked to serve as trustee or co-trustee.
Salt Lake City office serving Salt Lake City and Park City. Guides personal representatives through probate and estate administration, including accountings, creditor payments and ancillary probate, advises trustees on their fiduciary duties, and represents beneficiaries in disputes with a trustee. Attorney Penniann Schumann administered trusts in Utah and Idaho as a national-bank trust officer.
Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to verify their current practice areas and availability.
Legal Sources
(2)·
Data sourced from Utah statutes and official state code. How we research.
Forms for Planning Your Estate in Utah
Free forms for planning your estate in Utah: will, living trust, pour-over will, powers of attorney and TOD deed. Prepare each form for Utah.
Free
Last Will and Testament
In Utah, a will is signed before 2Utah Code § 75-2-502Verified Oct 19, 2026View source witnesses, and a self-proving affidavit signed with it lets the court admit it without witness testimonyUtah Code § 75-2-502Verified Oct 19, 2026View source.
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Free
Codicil to a Will
In Utah, a codicil is signed before 2Utah Code § 75-2-502Verified Oct 19, 2026View source witnesses, like a will, and the self-proving affidavit signed with it lets the court admit it without witness testimonyUtah Code § 75-2-504Verified Oct 25, 2026View source.
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Free
Healthcare Power of Attorney
Utah requires 1Utah Code § 75A-9-110 (formerly § 75A-3-303)Verified Oct 15, 2026View source witness for a healthcare power of attorney; notarization is not requiredUtah Code § 75A-9-110 (formerly § 75A-3-303)Verified Oct 15, 2026View source.
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HIPAA Release
In Utah, a HIPAA release names who may receive your records; the state regulates HIV/AIDS-related information, mental health records and substance abuse treatment recordsUtah Code § 26B-7-217(1), (2)(a) (Renumbered & Amended by Ch. 308, 2023 Gen. Sess.); Utah Code § 58-60-114(1) (Amended by Ch. 329, 2023 Gen. Sess.); Utah Code § 62A-15-707(1) (Renumbered 5/3/2023)Verified Jun 19, 2026View source above the federal rule, and the document carries each rule.
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Free
Financial Power of Attorney
Utah treats a power of attorney as durable by defaultUtah Code § 75A-2-105Verified Sep 20, 2026View source, and it is signed before a notaryUtah Code § 75A-2-105Verified Sep 20, 2026View source.
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Transfer on Death Deed
In Utah, a transfer on death deed is signed before a notaryUtah Code 75-6-401 to 75-6-419Verified Oct 19, 2026View source, then recorded with the county before the owner's deathUtah Code 75-6-401 to 75-6-419Verified Oct 19, 2026View source. Utah does not recognize a Lady Bird deed.
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Free
Living Will
In Utah, the living will is the Advance Health Care DirectiveUtah Code Title 75A, Ch. 9 (Uniform Health Care Decisions Act), §§ 75A-9-101 to 75A-9-129 (S.B. 134, 2025 General Session, effective January 1, 2026)Verified Sep 27, 2026View source, a written instruction that is valid with no agent named.
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Free
Pour-Over Will
In Utah, a pour-over will is signed before 2Utah Code § 75-2-502Verified Oct 19, 2026View source witnesses and moves anything left outside the trust into it through probate.
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Tools for Planning Your Estate in Utah
Free tools for planning your estate in Utah: will and trust costs, trust or TOD deed, and the signing rules. Run each tool for Utah and read its answer.
How Do I Sign Estate Documents?
In Utah, a will is signed before 2Utah Code § 75-2-502Verified Oct 19, 2026View source witnesses, and notarization is not requiredUtah Code § 75-2-502Verified Oct 19, 2026View source.
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Will My Estate Documents Transfer?
Utah recognizes a will signed under the law of the place where it was signedUtah Code § 75-2-506Verified Oct 19, 2026View source; a will signed in Utah itself needs 2Utah Code § 75-2-502Verified Oct 19, 2026View source witnesses, and notarization is not requiredUtah Code § 75-2-502Verified Oct 19, 2026View source.
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Trust or Will: Which Costs Less?
In Utah, a will-based plan pays probate attorney fees of typically 2.2%Modeled estimate under Utah Code § 75-3-718 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.5%Modeled estimate under Utah Code § 75-3-718 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate; a funded revocable trust keeps those assets out of probate and off that fee.
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How Much Does a Revocable Living Trust Cost?
An attorney-prepared revocable living trust in Utah runs $3,580Estimate: 10 hours at $358, Clio's Utah Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source to $5,370Estimate: 15 hours at $358, Clio's Utah Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source for an individual, against $0 to $549 up front plus a subscription with an online service.
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How Much Does a Will Cost?
An attorney-prepared will in Utah runs $1,167Estimate: 3 hours at $389, Clio's Utah Wills and Estates rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source to $2,334Estimate: 6 hours at $389, Clio's Utah Wills and Estates rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source, against $0 to $299 up front with an online service, and probate on a $500,000 estate adds about $27,719Utah Code § 75-3-718 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source.
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How Does SimplyTrust Compare to LegalZoom, Trust & Will, and Other Services?
Compare what it costs to make a trust official across SimplyTrust, LegalZoom, Trust & Will, Rocket Lawyer, and Quicken WillMaker.
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How Do I Name a Guardian for My Minor Children?
In Utah, a parent names a guardian for a minor child in a will or a separate signed writingUtah Code §§ 75-5-202, 75-5-202.5, 75-5-203, 75-5-204Verified Sep 16, 2026View source, and the nomination covers the child until the age of majority, 18Utah Code § 15-2-1Verified Sep 16, 2026View source.
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Do I Need a Revocable Trust?
Probate in Utah takes 4 months to 6 months for a simple estate and charges attorney fees of typically 2.2%Modeled estimate under Utah Code § 75-3-718 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.5%Modeled estimate under Utah Code § 75-3-718 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate; assets held in a revocable trust skip both.
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Utah Estate Planning Articles
Estate planning articles for Utah.
