Our lawyers can help with both Estate Planning and Probate

Probate

When a loved one dies, the family in the midst of their grieving is called upon to take care of the deceased’s affairs. Probate is the process by which the assets of a deceased person are distributed and bills are paid.

If there is a will, the will needs to be filed with the court and a request needs to be made to issue letters to the personal representation. If there is no will, a request to the court needs to be made to appoint a person to gather the assets, pay the bills, and distribute the proceeds.

If you are interested in an informational brochure on the Missouri probate process and live in the Kansas City area, please email me with your name and address.

Estate Planning

Estate planning ensures the orderly transfer of assets upon disability or death. The most common estate planning tools are:

Everyone should have a will to make sure his or her assets are received by the person(s) they want to receive the asset. In the case of persons with minor children, a will can specify the parent’s preference regarding who would be the guardian of the children.

A living trust can save probate expenses and ensure that assets are quickly provided to beneficiaries.

Real estate can be transferred after death through deeds that are drafted and filed during one's lifetime.  In Missouri, such a deed is referred to as a beneficiary deed; in Kansas such a deed is called a transfer of death deed.

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