Frequently Asked Questions

Planning for a potential chronic illness, to protect your family, and directing what happens to your resources is a personal process. Most families we work with benefit from a trust. Everyone we have worked with has a will.

At their core, a will or a trust, and the supporting documents should answer two questions:

1. What happens to my resources?

2. How does this plan help me if I face Alzheimer and dementia, Parkinson’s, or other chronic conditions?

If you do not create a plan, then the State of Kansas has one for you. In many cases this involves a Court deciding who makes decisions for you (your spouse or children are not automatic). And on your death, your spouse receives a portion of your estate, and the rest passes to your children. Most families want to make those decisions themselves. This creates clarity, maintains control, and makes it easier for the people they care about.

The real question is not whether you need a will or a trust. The question is: what plan fits your life, your goals, and meets your concerns. A well-designed plan allows you to stay in control, supports the people who will support you, and helps your family move forward without confusion or added burdens.

Thoughtful planning is not just about choosing between document. It is about making clear decisions early and putting the right structure in place. This allows you and your family to move forward without confusion, because the important decision were made with care, dignity, and purpose.

Yes: when structured properly, estate planning can reduce or even avoid probate.

Probate is the legal process of transferring assets after death. It involves court oversight, time, added expense, and loss of control. Some assets, like those held in a trust or with designated beneficiaries, can pass directly to your loved ones without going through that process.

Avoiding probate is only part of the picture. Many of the families we work with are equally concerned about what happens if their health changes. If you are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, dementia, or another chronic condition and do not have proper planning in place, then a court will decide who manages your finances and makes decisions on your behalf.

A thoughtful plan addressed both realities. It encompasses powers of attorneys, wills, trust, and asset coordination. It will probably involve people that help you make decisions, like family members, financial advisors, and the broader purpose of estate planning is to create clarity, maintain control, and make things easier for your family when facing a difficult diagnosis or at the end of your life.

A well-designed plan considers how your assets are titled, how decisions will be made if you cannot make them, and how to carry out your wishes with as little disruption as possible.