
FUTURE, ONE PLAN AT A TIME
KANSAS ESTATE PLANNING & PROBATE LAW FIRM
Wichita Estate Planning Attorney
Working With You For Your Family
The estate planning process can be difficult to navigate. This multifaceted legal process forces you to take inventory of your life and find a way to ensure it is distributed to your loved ones in a way that takes care of them after you are gone.
You likely have many questions about the whole situation, and The Law Office of Andrew Rowe is here to help answer some of those questions and more when you call 316-330-4110 to schedule a consultation.
There are many resources available to you online, and most of them might even lead you in the right direction. But what happens when you have a specific question about your unique circumstances? How will a one-size-fits-all approach benefit your family after you are gone?
With proper planning and working with well-versed estate planning attorneys, you can get the peace of mind you deserve, knowing your estate administration will go smoothly for your family!
What is Estate Planning?
The first step to successful estate planning is understanding what estate planning is in the first place.
Your estate is everything you own, including your property, assets like bank accounts and investments, and personal belongings. Estate planning is the process of determining how your estate will be managed in your absence.
Estate planning includes many steps. It includes writing an ironclad will that explains how you would like your property and assets distributed after you pass. Living wills are legal documents that allow you to make medical decisions for yourself when you are unable to do so. Similarly, powers of attorney allow you to assign a trusted person to make financial and medical decisions on your behalf when you are incapacitated.
Estate planning allows you to take control of your estate and your life and honors your wishes not just when you die but also while you are alive but unable to make decisions on your own behalf.
When Should You Start Estate Planning?
It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that estate planning is only for the wealthy, elderly, or sick. These are the people who have assets that they would like distributed, right? The elderly and ill are the ones who should be worried about what happens after they die, not you, right?
The fact is that anyone over the age of 18 can benefit from some form of estate planning. You wouldn’t wait until after a car accident to put on your seatbelt, would you? Then why would you wait until tragedy strikes to wish you had created a living will?
People who can benefit from estate planning include:
- People with minor children.
- People who own any assets.
- People who have specific healthcare preferences.
- People who have been married but are separated.
- People with specific wishes regarding how their property is managed after they die.
Attorney
Andrew is a Wichita native, born and raised, and an experienced attorney focusing in Kansas estate planning, wills, trusts, probate, and administration.
Graduating first from Wichita State University, Andrew attended Ave Maria School of Law where he finished in the top 25% of his class. He interned at the United States District Court, District of Kansas, under the Honorable Judge Eric Melgren, and studied under Samuel Blanco, Esq., for a year as well. In 2013, he established the Law Office of Andrew Rowe in his hometown.
What Happens When a Person Dies Without a Will?
When someone dies without a will, they are said to have died intestate. This means that when their estate enters probate, it will be distributed as fairly as possible by following the line of succession instead of how that person may have wanted it distributed. Your estate will be distributed evenly to your immediate relatives, your children, and your spouse. If you do not have immediate family, then the probate court will distribute your estate to your extended relatives, your parents, and siblings, and they will follow the line of succession until your estate is distributed fully.
With or without a will, your estate must pass through probate to ensure either proper administration of your estate according to your will or the fair distribution of your estate if you die intestate. Having a will does not allow your family to avoid the probate process, but there are some things you can do to make probate easier.