Estate Planning for Larger Estates

Kansas Estate Planning Lawyer

Effective estate planning can be critical for families with larger estates. There is more opportunity for taxation, which can minimize assets distributed, and more opportunity for disputes among heirs, which hurts family relationships. The Law Office of Stacey L. Janssen utilizes nearly 20 years of legal experience to help clients with effective estate planning tools that effectively address the complexities of a large estate. We provide sound legal counsel and caring solutions to help you protect your assets and preserve family harmony in the future.

Contact Stacey to set up a consultation with an experienced and compassionate attorney about your estate planning objectives.

Complex Estate Planning for Large Estates

Considerable assets often lead to more controversial estate planning problems. We provide intuitive solutions that promote fairness and minimize future probate disputes. We assist clients with issues such as:

• Last will and testament which conveys your wishes for passing property to loved ones through the probate process through direct inheritance, trusts, and pour over wills.
• Living trusts which protect your assets during your lifetime and pass to your spouse or children without passing through probate - thus avoiding significant time, expense, and taxes. Living trusts can also be created in a manner that preserves your assets for your children in the event of survivor spouse remarriage.
• Trusts that preserve assets for survivor spouses, minor children, create college funds, and protect assets from being squandered. These trusts can be created during your lifetime or within a will.
• Family gifts can be an effective tool to ensure that your assets are passed in a manner that you chose which cannot be disputed. By taking advantage of federal gift tax laws, larger estates can be effectively minimized, thus minimizing estate tax liability.
• Charitable giving can be an effective way to provide monetary support while minimizing your estate and enhancing taxable deductions.
• Advanced directives that address how your property, investments, other assets, and healthcare should be managed when you are incapable of managing them on your own.

Importance of Proactive Estate Planning

Although it may seem to be a daunting task, it is important to consider how you will like your estate managed. If a valid estate plan is not created, the situation will make your estate decisions for you (through government statutes) which may not reflect what you actually want.

When considerable assets are involved, such as those involved in larger estates, effective estate planning can minimize estate tax liability, potentially avoid probate, and mitigate controversy among your family about your final decisions.

Contact Stacey for seasoned, thoughtful, and personalized estate planning advice.