Court Approval of a Minor's Settlement in Utah: What We Found

By the FigureMyTax Editorial Team · How we calculate

Utah lets a payer pay up to $15,000 a year, measured after medical bills, attorney fees and costs for an injury claim, to a person with care and custody or a guardian, who may settle and release the claim. We did not find a separate dollar threshold for court approval.

The payment rule

Utah Code 75-5-102 says a person who owes money to a minor may pay up to $15,000 per year to a married minor, to a person with care and custody with whom the minor lives, or to a guardian. It does not apply if the payer knows a conservator is appointed or a petition is pending.

Net, not gross

For a personal injury or wrongful death claim, the $15,000 is the amount payable to the minor after medical bills, attorney fees and litigation costs. The person receiving the money has the power to settle and release the claims that gave rise to the payment.

What we did not find

We did not find a Utah statute that sets a separate threshold for court approval of a child's injury settlement, or that says what happens above $15,000 a year beyond the conservator route. Ask the court. The court may appoint a guardian to represent a minor's interests in a suit before it (75-5-104).

Deadlines

The limitation period does not run while a person is under 18 (Utah Code 78B-2-108), and most injury actions have four years (78B-2-307), so about age 22. Ask an attorney before assuming you have time. See how the money is held and run your numbers in the Utah minor's settlement calculator.

This is general information, not legal advice, and the state comparisons above are illustrative, not an exhaustive survey. Confirm how Utah's rules apply to your specific case with a licensed Utah attorney.