With an estate valued at less than $500,000, is a will sufficent to avoid probate?

With a small estate, having a will and a power of attorney should be sufficient to manage your property.  Having a will does not avoid probate.  Probate is a process by which a judge validates the will as legitimate, the deceased's creditors are paid, and the net assets are distributed to the people named in the will.  If you want to avoid probate, then you must establish a  revocable trust and transfer your assets into the trust before you pass away.  The cost of establishing a revocable trust and properly funding the trust will generally be more expensive than having a will drafted.  I do not practice in Utah, so I'm not aware of the court fees charged in probate, however, many states have streamlined probate processes if a person has a properly drafted will.