Richard Keyt
Arizona Estate Planning
& LLC Attorney
Protecting Arizona families and businesses since 1979
Richard Keyt (most people call him Rick) is a Scottsdale attorney who prepares wills, trusts and estate plans for Arizona families and forms Arizona LLCs and nonprofit corporations for business owners. Estate planning is his primary practice. He has 433 five-star Google, Facebook & Birdeye reviews.
He has practiced Arizona law since 1979, holds a master's degree in federal income taxation from New York University School of Law, and carries Martindale-Hubbell's AV rating, the highest rating it gives. Before law school he flew the F-4 Phantom in combat as a U.S. Air Force fighter pilot.
How Rick can help you
Not sure which service you need? Book a free office, phone or Zoom video consultation with Rick, or call him at 480-664-7478.
Wills, trusts and estate planning
A will alone does not keep your family out of probate court. Rick builds Arizona estate plans around a revocable living trust, so your property passes privately to the people you choose without Superior Court probate, and so someone you trust can manage your affairs if you become incapacitated.
See the 36 documents and services included in every custom estate plan, or start now with the Arizona Estate Plan Questionnaire.
Arizona LLCs
Rick and his son have formed more than 10,000 Arizona LLCs since 2001. Flat fees: Bronze $497, Silver $897 and Gold $1,397, and every package includes a custom Operating Agreement the members sign with DocuSign.
Compare the Bronze, Silver & Gold LLC packages or visit the Arizona LLC Center that has 60+ articles Rick's written about forming, operating and terminating Arizona LLCs.
Nonprofit corporations
Rick has formed more than 550 Arizona nonprofit corporations that became 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations. Rick and his son form Arizona nonprofit corporations and sometimes are hired to prepare and file the 28 page application for an IRS 501(c)(3) tax exemption.
Learn about Arizona nonprofit formation.
Business and real estate transactions
Rick represents buyers and sellers of businesses, prepares Buy-Sell Agreements that give LLC owners an exit plan after a death or disability, and handles contracts to buy, sell and lease Arizona real estate. He was once the Arizona attorney for one of the largest banks in the United States on its loans secured by Arizona real estate.
See the business purchase and sale checklist or the Buy Sell Agreement Questionnaire.
“When people fail to plan, their loved ones pay the price and suffer the consequences.”
Why clients hire Rick
You talk with the attorney, not a salesperson
Your free consultation is with Rick himself, in his Scottsdale office, by phone or by Zoom video. He answers your questions and designs your plan with you.
Flat fees, stated up front
You know the price before you hire the firm. No hourly meter running while you ask questions.
Tax training most estate planners lack
Rick holds an LL.M. in federal income taxation from NYU. His son and law partner, Richard C. Keyt, is an attorney and former CPA.
Experience at real volume
More than 10,000 Arizona LLCs and 550+ nonprofit corporations means Rick has already seen nearly every question a new client asks.
He teaches before he sells
Rick has written two books, hundreds of articles and nearly 300 YouTube videos so you can learn the basics before you spend a dollar.
Fighter-pilot discipline
Rick learned in the cockpit of an F-4 that details decide outcomes. He brings the same care to the documents that protect your family.
Rick's career at a glance
1970Click to open ▾
Graduated from Penn State University and entered U.S. Air Force Officer Training School.
1971Click to open ▾
Went to two weeks of survival school at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, one week of water survival school at Homestead Air Force Base, Florida and two weeks of jungle survival school at Clark Air Base, Philippines.
1972Click to open ▾
Flew combat missions in the F-4 Phantom II over North Vietnam, South Vietnam and Laos with the 35th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Korat Royal Thai Air Base, Thailand. Married Carol.
1972–1973Click to open ▾
Sat nuclear alert and air defense alert in the F-4 at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, intercepting Russian bombers approaching the east coast of South Korea.
1973–1976Click to open ▾
Taught new F-4 pilots and weapons system officers to fly the F-4 and use its systems at George Air Force Base, California. Twice ferried new F-4s across the Atlantic to the Shah of Iran. Honorably discharged as a Captain.
1979Click to open ▾
Graduated with a J.D. degree from McGeorge School of Law, where he was Associate Managing Editor of the Pacific Law Journal. Admitted to the Arizona bar.
1980Click to open ▾
Earned his masters degree (LL.M.) in federal income taxation from New York University School of Law. Admitted to the U.S. District Court for Arizona and the Ninth Circuit.
1984Click to open ▾
Co-founded Keyt & Lawless, P.A. with Tom Lawless, his law partner for 17 years. Later became a shareholder at Gallagher & Kennedy, P.A., one of Arizona's largest law firms.
2001Click to open ▾
Left big-firm practice to found KEYTLaw, betting that clients would find him through his website. They did.
2012Click to open ▾
His son, former CPA Richard C. Keyt, graduated from Arizona State University's law school and became Richard's law partner.
TodayClick to open ▾
He prepares estate plans for Arizona families and forms Arizona LLCs and nonprofit corporations.
Books and free resources by Rick
Rick believes an informed client makes better decisions. Start with any of these:
- Arizona LLC Resource Center: Form & Operate Your LLC
This page contains over 60 LLC informational articles and the contents and prices of our 3 LLC formation packages. - Arizona Wills, Trusts & Estate Planning Articles
- Arizona LLC Operations Manual: Rick's 170+ page book answering the questions owners ask after their LLC is formed. Silver and Gold LLC clients receive it.
- Who Inherits Property of an Arizona Resident Who Dies without a Will or a Trust
- 36 Documents & Services in Our Custom Estate Plan
Credentials
Education
- LL.M., federal income taxation, New York University School of Law, 1980
- J.D., University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, 1979; Staff Member and Associate Managing Editor, Pacific Law Journal
- B.A., Pennsylvania State University, 1970
Admitted to practice
- Arizona, 1979
- U.S. District Court, District of Arizona, 1980
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, 1980
Rating and bar sections
- Martindale-Hubbell AV rating, the highest it gives
- State Bar of Arizona, Business Law Section
- State Bar of Arizona, Probate and Trust Law Section
Former firms
- Gallagher & Kennedy, P.A., shareholder in the corporate, transactions and intellectual property departments
- Keyt Lawless Zarkou Cronin & O'Sullivan, P.C., founder and shareholder
- Keyt & Lawless, P.A., co-founder, 1984
Affiliations
- WealthCounsel, a national organization of 6,000+ estate planning attorneys
- Red River Valley Fighter Pilots Association, Life Member
- Penn State University Alumni Association, Life Member
- Xavier College Preparatory Dads Club, Life Member and Past President
- Brophy College Preparatory Dads Club, Life Member
- RAMMS Youth Baseball League, former coach, league commissioner and director
Military service
- U.S. Air Force, 1970–1976
- Flew the F-4 Phantom II for five years including 3 years as an instructor
- Honorable discharge as a Captain
5 Years Flying the F-4 Phantom II
Rick flew the F-4 Phantom II, a Mach 2+ fighter-bomber, for five years in the U.S. Air Force. In 1972 he flew close air support and other combat missions over North Vietnam, South Vietnam and Laos with the 35th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Korat Royal Thai Air Base, Thailand. His typical load was twelve 500-pound bombs.
At Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, he sat nuclear alert and air defense alert. Alert crews had to be airborne within minutes of a scramble, and Rick intercepted many Russian bombers approaching the Korean coast. He then spent three years as an F-4 instructor at George Air Force Base, California, teaching in the classroom, the simulator and the cockpit, and twice flew brand-new F-4s from the McDonnell Douglas factory in St. Louis across the Atlantic to Tehran for the Iranian Air Force.
Rick writes about those years on his website, Flying the F-4 in Combat, where you can also see his photos from the Vietnam War. Reader favorites:
Family
Rick has been married to Carol since 1972. Carol is KEYTLaw's bookkeeper. They have three children, all Arizona State University graduates, and six grandchildren.
Kari, the oldest, is a Southwest Airlines flight attendant who lives near The Woodlands, Texas. Richard C. Keyt (Ricky), an attorney and former CPA with a master's degree in accounting from Notre Dame, is Rick's law partner at KEYTLaw. Katie worked as Rick's LLC legal assistant for more than six years and was the first KEYTLaw Girl in the firm's YouTube videos.
Questions people ask before meeting Rick
Is the first meeting with Rick free?
Yes. You can book a free office, phone or Zoom video consultation with Rick on his online calendar.
Do I have to come to the Scottsdale office?
No. You can meet with Rick in person at 7373 E. Doubletree Ranch Road, Suite 135, Scottsdale, by phone, or by Zoom video. LLC members sign their Operating Agreement digitally with DocuSign.
How much does Rick charge?
KEYTLaw charges flat fees. Arizona LLC formation costs $497 (Bronze), $897 (Silver) or $1,397 (Gold). Estate plans are also prepared for a flat fee; see the 36 documents and services included in a custom estate plan.
Who will I work with?
You work with Rick, his son and law partner Richard C. Keyt, an attorney and former CPA, and the KEYTLaw staff.
Does Rick prepare estate plans for people who live outside Arizona?
Rick's estate planning practice serves Arizona residents.
What is an AV rating?
AV is the highest rating Martindale-Hubbell gives attorneys. Rick holds that rating.
Talk with Rick about your plan
Whether you need an estate plan that keeps your family out of probate court or a new Arizona LLC set up correctly the first time, the first step is a free conversation with Rick.
Updated October 3, 2026