Protect What Matters

Estate Planning Attorney in Maize, KS

Estate planning for Maize families at every stage

Maize has grown quickly, and many of the families who live here are buying homes, raising children, and building careers at the same time. Estate planning tends to slide to the bottom of the list. Advanced Legal Planning helps Maize families put a clear plan in place for their children, their home, and their savings, without making the process complicated. We meet with clients at our Wichita office at 10300 W. Central, a short drive from Maize, at our Derby office, or virtually.

Why do young families in Maize need an estate plan?

Parents of young children have the most to protect and often the least on paper. Without a plan, Kansas law decides who inherits, and a court decides who raises the children if both parents die. An estate plan lets you make those decisions yourself.

For parents in Maize, a basic plan usually answers these questions:

Who would raise your children if something happened to both of you?
Who would manage money left to your children until they are old enough to handle it?
At what age should your children receive their inheritance, and in what amounts?
Who can make financial and medical decisions for you if you are injured or ill?

Young Maize Kansas family meeting with an estate planning attorney about wills and trusts

Which documents make up an estate plan?

Most estate plans are built from a handful of documents. Advanced Legal Planning helps you decide which ones fit your family.

A will. A will directs where your property goes and lets parents nominate a Guardian for minor children. Learn more on our wills page.
A revocable living trust. A trust can hold your home and accounts, avoid probate for assets titled in the trust, and manage an inheritance for your children over time instead of handing it over at 18. Our trusts page explains how trusts work.
A general Power of Attorney. This names an Agent to handle financial and legal matters if you cannot. See our financial power of attorney page.
A Healthcare Power of Attorney and living will. These name a healthcare Agent and record your wishes about medical treatment.

Will or trust: which is right for a Maize family?

Both can work. A will is simpler to sign, but assets that pass under a will generally go through probate in Sedgwick County District Court, which takes time and becomes part of the public record. A revocable living trust takes more work up front, because your home and accounts need to be titled in the trust, but it can let your family skip probate for those assets and keep matters private.

For families with young children, a trust has another advantage. It can hold money for your children and release it in stages, such as part at 25 and the rest at 30, under the supervision of a Trustee you choose. Our article on wills vs. trusts in Kansas walks through the differences.

Life insurance and beneficiary designations

Many Maize parents carry life insurance through work or a private policy, and retirement accounts through an employer. These assets pass by beneficiary designation, not by your will. If a minor child is named directly, the money may not be available to them without court involvement.

A common approach is to name your trust, or a trust set up for your children, as the beneficiary so the money is funneled through the trust and managed by your Trustee. Advanced Legal Planning reviews your beneficiary designations as part of every plan so they match the rest of your documents.

How the estate planning process works

Advanced Legal Planning keeps the process simple and predictable.

1. Planning meeting. We talk about your family, your assets, and your goals, and answer your questions about wills and trusts.

2. Plan design. We recommend the documents that fit and explain each one in plain language.

3. Signing. We meet to sign your documents with the formalities Kansas law requires.

4. Funding and follow-through. If you have a trust, we help make sure your home and accounts are titled in the trust and your beneficiary designations are updated.

Keeping your plan current

An estate plan should change as your family does. A new baby, a move, a new home, a divorce, or a death in the family are all good reasons to review it. Our article on when to update your estate plan lists the life events that should prompt a review.

Start your estate plan in Maize

Putting a plan in place now means your family will not have to guess later. Call Advanced Legal Planning at (316) 252-2233 or schedule a consultation to get started. Virtual meetings are available upon request. To learn more about our approach, visit our estate planning overview.

Schedule a Consultation

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need an estate plan if I do not own much?

Yes, especially if you have children. Even a modest estate needs a plan for who will care for your children and who can make decisions for you if you are unable to.

Can I name a Guardian for my children in a trust?

A trust is not usually where that choice is made. In Kansas, parents typically nominate a Guardian for minor children in their will. That is one reason a family with a trust still needs a will, usually called a pour-over will.

What happens to my house in Maize if I die without a will?

The house passes to your heirs under Kansas intestate succession laws, usually through probate. If you have minor children, a court may need to supervise their share.

How often should a Maize family update its estate plan?

Review your plan every few years and after any major life change, such as a birth, a move, a marriage, or a divorce.

Serving Maize and northwest Sedgwick County

Advanced Legal Planning serves families in Maize and nearby communities, including northwest Wichita, Colwich, Valley Center, Goddard, and Bel Aire. Wherever you are in the Wichita area, our goal is the same: to help you protect your family and the home and savings you have worked to build.

About Advanced Legal Planning, LLC

Advanced Legal Planning, LLC serves families across Kansas and Northern Oklahoma from offices in Derby and Wichita. The firm is led by Mark A. Galloway, Attorney at Law, who holds dual LL.M. degrees, one in Elder Law from the University of Kansas and one in Tax from Boston University. The firm helps families protect their homes, savings, and legacies for the next generation.