Estate Planning Attorney in Wichita, Kansas

Whether you must administer an estate through probate or you seek a will or a trust that best protects your family’s future, you want a Kansas estate planning attorney who understands your values and the law. At Weber Law Office, P.A., we have helped people throughout Wichita and south-central Kansas with probate and estate planning concerns for more than 35 years.

Let Us Find the Right Solution for You.

It is the goal of our firm to provide cost-effective solutions for our clients. We understand that it is even more important for our clients to find solutions that also honor their values. Dedicated to serving individuals, families, and their businesses, we can help you develop sensible probate and estate planning solutions.

Estate Planning to Protect Your Family’s Future

There are many ways to protect the future of your family and your family’s business. By taking the time to develop a comprehensive estate plan, including wills, trusts, and powers of attorney, you can make sure your wishes are honored and the people you love are taken care of properly. We will guide you through the entire estate planning process and help you understand your options regarding:

• Estate and will planning

• Trusts, including living revocable trusts, irrevocable trusts, special needs trusts, and charitable trusts

• Medical durable powers of attorney and financial durable powers of attorney

• Transfer on death deeds and business transfers

• Guardianship and conservatorship

• Probate administration, estate litigation

• Determination of descent

Estate Taxes

There are many different ways to tax an estate, and each way can seriously impact the estate property. Our firm can refer you to an accountant who can help you determine the best way to set up your estate to minimize future estate taxes.

Three Common Estate Planning Mistakes to Avoid

If you have an estate plan, you have taken a critical step toward ensuring that the physical and financial assets that you have worked to obtain and maintain will pass to the people that you want to have when you pass away. If you made your estate plan with the aid of an estate planning attorney, you probably know that estate planning is not a set-it-and-forget-it type of thing – you’ll need to revisit your estate plan occasionally to ensure that everything is still on track toward your estate planning goals.

Failing to Update Estate Plans

That said, one common estate planning mistake that people make is failing to update their estate plans. Creating an estate plan takes a bit of work, but checking on your plan once you’ve set it up doesn’t require too much time or energy. A good rule of thumb is to look over your estate plan with your attorney every three years. When people do not update estate plans, things can happen that they do not intend, such as former spouses inheriting assets, children receiving different treatment, and so on. An up-to-date estate plan is the best way to make sure that your estate plan will indeed carry out your wishes.

Limiting Your Efforts in Making a Will

A second mistake that some people make with estate planning is limiting their efforts in making a will. A will is important, but a will alone to accomplish all of your estate planning objectives. There are other vital documents that you may need to execute, including medical directives, powers of attorney, and trusts. If these documents do not get created before they are needed, things can happen that are not in compliance with your wishes, both during your lifetime and after you pass away. Fortunately, your attorney can help you look at your estate planning needs and determine which documents, in addition to a will, should be a part of your estate plan.

Assuming You Don't Need a Trust

A third mistake that some people make with estate planning is assuming that they don’t need a trust. There are some popular misconceptions surrounding trusts, the biggest of which is that only wealthy people need them. What many people don’t realize is that trusts can do things that wills cannot, and they are a valuable estate planning tool that can help many people achieve their estate planning goals whether they are wealthy or not. For example, assets in a trust can get passed outside of the probate process. This gets assets into the hands of beneficiaries faster and privately, in contrast with the slow speed and public nature of probate proceedings. Trusts can also keep assets safe from creditors, and safe for heirs that may not be old enough or financially savvy enough to manage their inheritances on their own. There are different types of trusts that you can use to achieve various goals, and your attorney can help you select and create the ones that are right for you. One example of a trust is a life insurance trust that ensures that your beneficiaries get the proceeds of your policy quickly and without paying a hefty tax.

Estate Planning Attorney in Wichita, Kansas

Someday, you and your family may go through the estate administration or probate process. If you take the time to find a plan that fits you and your values today, you will know that you, your family, and your business are protected in the future. Our Wichita law office is open Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. We offer weekend and evening hours by appointment. Contact us today for more information about will and trust preparation or our other estate planning services.