Utah Persons

A notarized will does not need to be probated.When a person dies leaving behind a will that is not notarized, the law requires that its validity be ascertained by a notary or by a court. Similarly, any non-notarized modification made to a will must be probated, whether the will is notarized or not.

Under Utah law, a will must be filed with the court with reasonable promptness after the death of the testator. Utah Code § 75-2-902. So, after you pass away, your will should be filed in your local probate court by the person named to be your personal representative (also called an executor or administrator).

While your will should still be valid in the new state, there may be differences in the new state's laws that may make certain provisions of the will invalid. In addition, moving is a good excuse to consult an attorney to make sure your estate plan in general is up to date.

Yes. Handwritten (holographic) wills are valid in Utah if they meet certain requirements. What do I need in a holographic will? A holographic will should be entirely in your own handwriting.

Only the executors appointed in a will are entitled to see the will before probate is granted. If you are not an executor, the solicitors of the person who has died or the person's bank, if it has the will, cannot allow you to see it or send you a copy of it, unless the executors agree.

You can read, type, print, and staple at the will maker's direction. But you must not decide or even weigh in on the terms of the will. Do not sway the will maker in any way; you must be a neutral actor. Also, do not not use your own handwriting to fill in a fill-in-the-blanks will.

Note that once a will is probated, it is available to the public and anyone can read it.

No, in Utah, you do not need to notarize your will to make it legal. However, Utah allows you to make your will "self-proving" and you'll need to go to a notary if you want to do that. A self-proving will speeds up probate because the court can accept the will without contacting the witnesses who signed it.

Capacity: The testator must be of sound mind. Signature: The will must be signed by the testator or by someone else in the testator's name in his conscious presence, by his direction.Writing: A Utah will must be in writing. Beneficiaries: A testator can leave property to anyone.