Estate Planning in Utah

Customized Wills and Trusts for Parents & Homeowners

Design a legal plan that will keep your loved ones out of court and out of conflict.

Imagine

Sleep better at night, knowing you have a plan in place for your family based on your values and goals.

I help property owners, parents, and families build bridges of opportunity for their loved ones by customizing estate plans that specify what happens with their assets should they pass- including who the assets should be distributed to, how they should be distributed, and when. I help parents properly nominate guardians for their minor children, so they have peace of mind knowing if and when anything should happen to them, their families and loved ones won’t be left with a mess.

Our Process

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step 1

Legacy Planning Meeting

A one-on-one legal planning session to discuss what options will best meet your goals.

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step 2

Document Review

Review documents, ask questions, and request changes.

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step 3

Sign Documents

After reviewing and approving your documents, the last step is to sign them.

protect your estate

Wills & Trusts for Homeowners

Are you a homeowner trying to determine what steps you need to take?

Watch our webinar to learn:

  1. What happens if you do not have a will or trust in place
  2. Risks of relying solely on beneficiary designations, titles, and transfer on death deeds
  3. The difference between a will and a trust & determining which is best for your unique situation 

protect your children

Wills & Trusts for Parents of Minor Children

Are you a parent trying to determine what steps you need to take to protect your children?

Watch our webinar to learn:

  1. What happens to your children if you do not have a will or trust in place
  2. How to name guardians for minor children
  3. The difference between a will and a trust & determining which is best for your family 

one-on-one Consultation

Legacy Planning Meeting

For those ready to get started. This is a legal planning session with attorney Marne Pehrson so you can learn more about how to protect your family and assets and start designing your will or trust-based estate plan. 

Here’s what will happen:

  • You’ll share your goals and objectives
  • We will review your options and our will or trust estate planning packages and unique flat fee pricing.

don't leave behind a mess

Keep your family out of court by doing proper legal planning.

family and estate lawyer, Marne Pherson, in Utah

Hello, I'm Marne Pehrson, Esq.

I help homeowners and parents think and plan ahead so they have peace of mind and confidence.

As a parent, the thought of leaving my children behind due to an unfortunate event like an accident or sudden illness is incredibly stressful and anxiety-inducing. I'm left with a barrage of questions - who will take care of them? Who will raise them? Who will provide for them? This becomes even more complicated when someone passes away without a will or a trust in place, which is why I am dedicated to helping parents and homeowners feel confident in their plans and the legacy they are leaving behind.

Testimonials

What Alyssa had to say

"Marne was very helpful with providing information about setting up our estate." 

“Marne was very helpful with providing information about setting up our estate.  We didn’t know much going in, but she helped explain all of our options and which would be the best approach for us.  I definitely recommend her!”

What Amy had to say

"She was knowledgeable and explained things clearly and specifically."

"Marne was great in providing me factual and helpful information to my specific questions and situation. She was knowledgeable and explained things clearly and specifically. She really helped me to know what next steps I need to take to plan for my family."

What Chenelle had to say

"Marne helped me to navigate and see the possibilities for a hopeful and bright financial future!"

"Marne is so easy to work with. She listens very well. I felt like I could tell her some vulnerable things I was worried about with money for the future. I’m a single mom with lots of life ups and downs, and felt like I was way behind ‘schedule of the norm.’ Marne helped me to navigate and see the possibilities for a hopeful and bright financial future!"

Still have more questions?

Most commonly asked questions

Absolutely not! Everyone has an estate- whether it is $20 in the bank or millions.  Your estate includes everything from your checking or savings accounts, brokerage accounts, stocks, bonds, retirement accounts, business interests, or intellectual property to your house or real estate, vehicles, other personal property, and more.  An estate plan is simply determining where these assets go when we pass away and under what circumstances. 

If you have minor children or children with special needs, your estate plan should include naming guardians for your children and protecting them from receiving their entire inheritance at age 18.

An estate plan is simply determining where your assets go when you pass away and under what circumstances.  

A Will is useful to name guardians for your minor children, name beneficiaries for an asset or account you own, and for naming a personal representative- the person in charge of executing the Will and wrapping up your affairs and estate when you are gone.  

In contrast to a Trust, a Will does not provide any protection during your life nor during the lives of any surviving spouse, children, or grandchildren. A Will simply transfers property at death.  And a Will must go through probate court, becomes public, is unable to control most property, and if you have minor children with only a Will, they will receive their entire inheritance in a lump sum at age 18 with no enforceable instructions or guidelines.

Yes, you can do just about anything on your own for less than hiring a professional.  However, going cheap on some things, like a parachute, surgeon, or fire extinguisher, can lead to devastating consequences. Estate planning is no different. It is worth the investment to have your estate plan done right.  It is not uncommon for DIY wills & trusts and generic template forms to not do what you intend.  These plans often end up with families in conflict and in court trying to sort out a mess because something was either left out or drafted poorly.  An estate planning attorney who is committed to providing you a comprehensive estate plan will save you and your loved ones time, money, and heartache.  When you are working with an attorney, you are paying for the guidance and counseling about what your options are to reach your goals, as well as what documents you need and how they should be drafted.

We do all the heavy lifting, so you don’t have to.  You can expect to have your completed estate planning documents in three simple steps that take four weeks or less.  

The first step is to have a 1:1 Legacy Planning session with attorney Marne Pehrson.  Here, you will share your goals and objectives, Marne will explain your options, and after choosing which of our unique flat rate packages works best for you, payment will be taken in full, and an engagement letter will be signed by both you and Marne.  Then, we will get to work drafting your documents.  

The second step is your document review.  After your documents have been drafted, we will send you a recording explaining them that you can watch at your convenience.  You will have the opportunity to ask as many clarifying questions you need and request changes.  We will answer your questions and make any necessary changes.

After you have approved your documents, the third step is your Signing Ceremony.  This is generally done in our office where we provide two witnesses and a notary. 

It depends.  Because we believe that one size does not fit all, we do not give quotes or estimates without spending a little time getting to know you and educating you on your options. However, all of our services are done with our unique flat rate pricing that is shared upfront at your Legacy Planning meeting, so there are no surprises.

Unfortunately, we do not stand behind documents we have not drafted and, therefore, do not make changes to documents drafted by others.  However, revocable trusts are generally modifiable and even revocable if the creator is alive and has capacity.  Life, families, and circumstances change, and your trust may need to change with it. We are happy to discuss options to update or to restate your documents. 

Estate planning is an area of law that is state-specific. That means you should work with an attorney licensed in the state in which you reside or own property. Our attorneys are licensed in Utah and Arizona. So, if you live in or own property in Utah or Arizona, we would love to prepare your estate planning documents. If you do not, we will be happy to refer you to an attorney licensed in your state.

Spend time making memories,
not stressing about the 'what-ifs'

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