Kansas City Estate Planning

Find the right Wills & Trusts attorney in Kansas City, KS

In Kansas City, "estate planning" refers to all of the decisions affecting how a person's property is going to be disposed of after their death, as well as the process of implementing those decisions when the time comes.

Estate planning typically requires the advice of a legal and/or financial expert, because the issues involved can be perplexing, and are considered by most to be extremely important. A flawed estate plan might create conflict between your survivors, resulting in your intentions not being given effect.

In addition to post-death decisions, estate planning also concerns matters that might affect you during your life, such as granting power of attorney to a family member or trusted friend in case you become unable to make your own decisions regarding your finances or medical care. Additionally, effective estate planning can minimize the impact that estate taxes and court fees will have on your final disposition to your loved ones.

A qualified estate planner in Kansas City can make the process of planning your estate go much more smoothly, and maximize the chances of your wishes really being carried out with legal force.

Common Features of Kansas City Estates

Will: This is a legal document which transfers ownership of the testator's (the person making the will) property to named beneficiaries after the testator's death. The beneficiaries can be just about anyone the testator chooses, but smaller estates, usually only include family members, and maybe very close friends. If you want, you can place conditions on gifts (say, leaving a certain amount of money to your son, but only if he graduates college before he turns 25 - this is just an example). However, a will can't actually compel anyone to do anything, and some conditional gifts won't be enforced, usually because they involve an illegal act, or require a person to marry or refrain from marrying a certain person.

Living Will: Living wills are also very crucial for most people. Basically, a living will tells everyone concerned (your next of kin, and your doctor) what type of medical care you want if you become incapacitated. It usually includes the circumstances under which a person wishes to be kept on life support, when they want to be taken off of life support, and, sometimes, instructions on when medical staff should and should not attempt resuscitation.

Power of Attorney: This is an arrangement in which you give someone else, normally a trusted family member, the power to make financial and medical decisions on your behalf, in case you become unable to make or express your own decisions.

Funeral Arrangements: Whatever your preference on this matter (if you have a preference) you should make it known to your family both verbally and in writing. If you have very specific wishes concerning the final disposition of your mortal remains, you should not put those instructions in your will. Or, if you do, you should also put them somewhere else. Wills are usually not read for quite some time after a person dies, and the funeral is normally long over by then, so it will be too late to follow your instructions.

Do I Need a Kansas City Estates Lawyer?

A poorly drafted or executed Kansas City estate plan can have major negative consequences. For example, it might be confusing to the people who are most directly affected by it. This confusion can commonly lead to costly litigation. For that reason, the help of an accomplished estate planning attorney can be invaluable.

Talk to a Wills, Trusts & Estates Law Attorney now!

Life in Kansas City

Kansas City is the third-largest city in the state of Kansas, with a population of over 145,000 people. It is also the county seat of Wyandotte County, Kansas.

Kansas City, Kansas was formally founded in 1868, and incorporated in 1872. Modernly, Kansas City, Kansas has a large and diversified economy. It is home to a major manufacturing plant owned by General Motors, which builds the Chevy Malibu and Buick LaCrosse, employing about 2,700 people.

In 2011, Google announced that Kansas City, Kansas has been selected to participate in its experimental Google Fiber project, which will deliver super-fast internet to members of the community, at no cost to the city, and low cost to the consumers.

For a city of its size, Kansas City, Kansas has a large public library system, making it a convenient place for lawyers to practice, thanks to the abundance of low-cost research materials.

If you need a lawyer in Kansas City, Kansas, chances are good that there's a Kansas City, Kansas attorney who can help you with whatever legal problem you might be facing.

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