Protect What Matters

Wills and Trusts Attorney in Valley Center, KS

A will or trust is not just legal paperwork—it is the set of instructions that protects your loved ones when you can no longer speak for yourself. Without a proper plan in place, Kansas law and probate courts decide who inherits your home, your savings, and who cares for your family. Families in Valley Center work with Advanced Legal Planning to create custom wills and living trusts that avoid the delays of probate, maintain privacy, and ensure their wishes are honored. Taking the time to establish and properly fund your plan today gives your family clarity, protection, and true peace of mind tomorrow.

The Right Documents Protect the People You Love

A will and a trust are not just legal paperwork. They are the instructions that protect your family when you cannot speak for yourself. Without them, Kansas law decides who gets what, a court oversees the process, and your loved ones carry the burden. For families in Valley Center, the right combination of wills and trusts brings clarity, privacy, and protection. Advanced Legal Planning helps Valley Center families choose and build the tools that fit their lives.

Wills and trusts attorney reviewing documents with a Valley Center Kansas

The Mistakes Valley Center Families Make Most

Estate planning goes wrong in predictable ways. Families rely on a will alone and leave their loved ones to go through probate, which is public and can be slow. They create a trust but never fund it, so it cannot do its job. They use an online template that does not fit Kansas law or their actual situation. Or they set up a plan and never update it after major life changes such as a marriage, a divorce, a new child, or the death of a named person. Each of these gaps can undo an otherwise good plan.

Guidance Built on Rare Depth of Experience

Choosing between a will, a trust, or both is not a generic decision, and the wrong structure can create tax and probate headaches for your family. Advanced Legal Planning, LLC is led by Mark Galloway, owner of the firm, who holds dual LL.M. degrees, one in Elder Law from the University of Kansas and one in Tax from Boston University. That dual training, uncommon among Kansas firms, means Valley Center families get wills and trusts designed with both legacy and tax consequences in mind.

Our Estate Planning Blueprint

We make building your plan straightforward, in three steps.

Step one is your planning session. We spend about an hour learning about your family, your assets, and what you want to happen, and we identify any gaps in your current documents.

Step two is designing your plan. We recommend the right mix of tools, whether that is a will, a revocable living trust to avoid probate, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, or additional protections for a beneficiary who needs them.

Step three is executing and funding the plan. We make sure documents are properly signed and, critically, that your trust is actually funded by titling assets correctly, so the plan works when your family needs it.

How Families Pay for Long Term Care

A complete plan also considers how future care will be paid for, since long term care costs can threaten the very legacy your documents are meant to protect. There are generally three paths. Long term care insurance pays a daily benefit and must be secured while you are healthy enough to qualify. Private pay covers costs directly but can erode an estate quickly, given that nursing home care in Kansas averages around $9,000 per month. Medicaid, known in Kansas as KanCare, can pay for long term care once assets are within program limits, and coordinated Medicaid planning can help protect assets while qualifying. Wills and trusts are strongest when they are built with these realities in mind.

What Valley Center Families Say

“Advanced Legal Planning helped us set up a trust and finally get our affairs in order. They explained the difference between a will and a trust in plain language and made sure everything was funded correctly. Our kids will not have to deal with probate, and that means everything to us.”

— Client testimonial, Valley Center area

Build Your Plan Today

Do not leave your family to sort things out in probate court. Advanced Legal Planning helps Valley Center families build wills and trusts that protect their homes, their savings, and the people they love. Call Advanced Legal Planning at (316) 252-2233 or schedule a consultation online. Virtual meetings are available upon request.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a will and a trust?

A will directs what happens to your assets but still goes through probate in Kansas. A revocable living trust can avoid probate, stay private, and manage assets if you become incapacitated. Learn more on our Estate Planning overview.

Do I need both a will and a trust?

Many families do. A trust handles the assets titled to it, and a will acts as a backup for anything else.

Why do trusts fail?

The most common reason is that they are never funded. A trust only controls the assets that are actually titled to it.

How do I get started?

Call (316) 252-2233 or visit advancedlegalplanning.com/contact.

Serving Valley Center and Surrounding Kansas Communities

Advanced Legal Planning proudly serves Valley Center and the surrounding Kansas communities, including Wichita, Park City, Bel Aire, and the greater Sedgwick County area, from our offices in Derby and Wichita. Wherever you live, our mission is the same: to help you protect your home, your savings, and your legacy.