Missouri and Kansas Estate Planning and Probate

Planning Today for What Tomorrow May Bring

Creating a thoughtful, complete estate plan is essential for the protection of your family. A will and supporting documents such as trusts, durable powers of attorney, and health care directives can ensure that your loved ones and favorite charities receive the property you intend for them. An estate plan can designate who will care for your minor children or other family members with special needs. Finally, an estate plan can ensure that your wishes are understood regarding medical care.

Many people write a will or prepare an estate plan and then put it in a drawer. They are thinking to themselves: "Now I can check that off the list. I'm done." But is that true?

I'm Kansas City estate planning attorney Brandi Morris. If there is one message I hope you—and all my clients—understand from working with me, it is that your estate plan needs to change as your circumstances change. Creating an estate plan and then setting it aside almost guarantees that when you need it, your plan may be inaccurate, outdated, and incomplete.

As an estate planning attorney and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER,™ I ask my clients to review their estate plans whenever they experience a change in circumstances:

• A new family member is added or a loved one dies (you may need to change the names of beneficiaries to a will or trust)
• Children grow and their needs change (plan now for a guardianship and for college, maybe with a 529 plan)
• A family member becomes disabled or experiences the onset of a degenerative illness (special needs trusts and powers of attorney will be important)
• The family financial situation changes, and financial planning and tax planning become important (it may be time to look at trusts and other asset protection tools and tax shelters)

Estate Planning Seminars  Attorney Brandi Morris offers estate planning seminars for a variety of groups. Contact the office for information about rates and scheduling.

A good rule of thumb is to informally review these four situations every year and consider what has changed in your life. If something significant has changed, make an appointment with your estate planner to update your plan.

Even if you are not sure much has changed, review your plan with an estate planning professional every three years to ensure it still meets your goals. If it is time for you to develop an estate plan or to review your financial goals, I invite you to contact my Lee's Summit law office. I handle estate planning for clients primarily in the Kansas City area of Missouri and in Johnson County, Kansas.

In addition to an experienced estate planning lawyer, I am a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER,™ a Chartered Mutual Fund Counselor (SM), and a member of the Financial Planning Association of Greater Kansas City. That means I can assist you not only with wills and trusts, but I can help you consider a wide variety of financial planning vehicles, such as life insurance planning, a life insurance trust, 529 college savings vehicles, and investment options.

I can also help you develop strategies to minimize the impact of taxes on your current income and on your estate when transferring assets to your heirs:

For young families just starting to think of estate planning, I offer an estate planning package that includes, for each spouse, a will: a durable power of attorney for financial matters; a durable power of attorney for health care matters; and a health care directive. For families with children, it is important to decide who will be your children's guardian should you be unable to care for them.

As your family increases in earning capacity, a more comprehensive plan will offer you greater benefits. There is a wide range of trusts that you can consider, each providing different opportunities for tax savings and control. Allow me to explain your options when we meet.

Older people typically need to plan for the transfer of wealth and property from one generation to the next. This may include planning for the transfer of a family-owned business.

Whatever stage of life you are entering, I invite you to contact my office to schedule a free initial consultation. Your estate plan should grow and change as your life changes. I can help you stay on top of those changes with estate planning and tax planning tools to work toward your goals.

The Law Office of Brandi Morris, LLC

108 Southeast Eastridge Street
Lee's Summit, MO 64063-2753
Telephone: (816) 213-0595 ● Fax: (816) 554-3316
Map and Driving Directions ● E-Mail Me

Lee's Summit, Missouri attorney Brandi Morris provides a wide range of legal services for individuals and families in Jackson County, and Cass County, Missouri and nearby communities, including Blue Springs, Greenwood, Independence, Liberty, and Kansas City. I also handle estate planning for clients primarily in Johnson County, Kansas.