Vernal practice in the Uintah Basin, seeing clients mainly by appointment. Attorney Gayle F. McKeachnie, practising since 1970, handles probate and the settlement of trusts and estates alongside wills and trusts, and also works in business, real estate (including farm and ranch transactions) and natural resource law.
Estate Planning for Uintah County, Utah Property Owners
For most Uintah 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 Uintah 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 Uintah 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 Uintah County
A transfer on death deed names a beneficiary who receives Uintah 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 Uintah County are recorded with the County Recorder at 147 East Main Street, Vernal, UT 84078. Phone: 1-435-781-5398. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM.
The County Recorder charges $45 flat, regardless of page count. A 2-page transfer on death deed costs $45 to record in Uintah County. No transfer tax applies to a transfer on death deed.
Uintah County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile and CSC.
Recording Office Record
County Recorder
Uintah County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Office
147 East Main Street, Vernal, UT 84078
Website
E-recording
available via Simplifile and CSC
Fees
Recording fees
| Flat fee (any length) | $45 |
| Transfer tax on a TOD deed | No transfer tax applies to TOD deeds |
Utah Code 17-71-407 (formerly 17-21-18.5)
Verified October 17, 2026 · Source
Estate Planning Attorneys Serving Uintah County
Vernal firm on Vernal Avenue serving Uintah and Duchesne counties in the Uintah Basin. Takes Utah probates, contested or not, from the filing that has a personal representative appointed through gathering assets, paying debts and distributing to heirs. Also drafts wills, trusts and powers of attorney, and will travel to clients in the Basin or along the Wasatch Front.
Provo estate planning practice of attorney Marne Pehrson, with offices in Lehi, Sandy, Salt Lake City, Park City and Heber City, serving Duchesne, Uintah and Daggett counties through virtual meetings and in-person appointments. Drafts wills and trust-based estate plans for parents and homeowners, including guardian nominations for minor children, at flat fees set at the first planning meeting.
Draper estate planning firm with a second office in Kaysville, working with clients throughout Utah. Handles uncontested informal probate for a $2,000 flat attorney fee plus court filing fees, preparing the paperwork to appoint a personal representative; the firm does not take contested probate, will challenges, or inheritance disputes. Also prepares flat-fee will- and trust-based estate plans.
Provo firm of about 20 attorneys serving Utah Valley, with offices in Murray, St. George, and Gilbert, Arizona. Assists executors and administrators through probate, helps trustees meet their deadlines and fiduciary duties, defends trust administrators in litigation, and handles guardianships, conservatorships, Medicaid planning, and elder abuse matters.
Logan firm that has served Cache Valley since 1910 and practices across Northern Utah, with members who have served as county attorneys in Cache and Rich counties. Its estate and tax planning practice prepares wills, probate avoidance trusts, life insurance trusts, defective grantor trusts and irrevocable trusts, and advises on the tax consequences of a plan and on who will administer the estate.
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.
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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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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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Free
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.
