Utah Probate vs Living Trust Calculator

Utah's flat $375 court fee and reasonable-fee standard already make probate one of the cheaper processes in the country — so a trust here earns its keep on privacy and speed, not on saving you from a costly court.

Probate side: Utah Code § 78A-2-301, 75-3-718 FigureMyTax Editorial Team Free · no sign-up

Your Utah estate

Enter your estate value and an attorney-fee style — we'll estimate Utah probate cost and compare it to a typical trust setup cost.

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Estimated Utah probate cost vs trust setup
Probate (estimated)
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Living trust setup
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Utah probate cost vs living trust cost

The probate side of this comparison reuses the same approach as the Utah Probate Cost Calculator: the flat $375 District Court filing fee under Utah Code § 78A-2-301, the same for informal or formal probate, plus a reasonable attorney fee under § 75-3-718 — often a flat $3,500–$6,000 for a routine informal estate, or quoted as roughly 2–3.5%. The trust side is market data, not a statutory figure: Utah attorneys typically charge roughly $1,500–$3,000 for a basic revocable living trust, with Utah-specific hourly-rate data putting a fuller plan closer to $3,580–$5,370. See the full breakdown in Utah Living Trust Setup Cost.

Worth noting: Utah is a Uniform Probate Code state with a genuinely low, flat court fee and no death tax, so the case for a trust here often rests less on cost than in a state with a mandatory percentage commission or its own estate tax.

Utah probate vs living trust — frequently asked questions

Is a living trust worth it in Utah?

Sometimes, but often not for cost alone — Utah's flat $375 court fee and reasonable-compensation attorney fees already make probate relatively cheap. A trust is more often worth it here for privacy, out-of-state property, or a genuinely larger or more complex estate.

How much does Utah probate cost compared to a living trust?

A typical $400,000–$500,000 Utah informal probate runs roughly $2,000–$4,000 all-in — the $375 court fee plus an attorney fee often flat at $3,500–$6,000, or less. A Utah living trust typically costs $1,500–$3,000 for a basic plan, with Utah-specific hourly-rate data putting a fuller plan closer to $3,580–$5,370.

Does Utah have an estate tax a trust would avoid?

No — Utah has no state estate or inheritance tax, so there's no tax-avoidance case for a trust here. The comparison comes down to attorney fees, the timeline, and privacy.

This calculator provides an estimate for general guidance only and is not legal or financial advice. Probate-side figures are based on Utah statute (Utah Code § 78A-2-301, 75-3-718). Trust-side figures are illustrative market rates, not a legal or statutory amount, and vary by attorney and estate complexity. Confirm current figures with the District Court or a licensed Utah estate planning attorney before acting.