Memento Mori Law
Estate Planning & Elder Law
A Practice Group of Harden Law Office
Living Trust Planning in Shawnee, Kansas
A trust can help organize how property is managed and distributed. Whether it is appropriate for you depends on what you want to accomplish.
Joshua Harden at Memento Mori Law helps families in Shawnee, Johnson County, the Kansas City area, and throughout Kansas and Missouri evaluate living trusts as part of their estate plan. Meet in person in Shawnee or virtually through Google Meet to discuss your goals, compare options, and understand the work needed to put a plan into practice.
Start With the Purpose of the Trust
Some clients want continuity in managing property during incapacity. Others want to consider how and when beneficiaries receive an inheritance, or how to coordinate property in an estate plan.
The first question is what the trust should accomplish. That conversation informs the choice of trustee, successor trustee, beneficiaries, and distribution provisions. It also helps determine whether a trust is the appropriate tool.
Trust Funding: Putting Your Plan Into Practice
A trust should be coordinated with the assets it is intended to govern. Signing a trust document does not automatically place every asset into it.
Josh can help you identify questions about deeds, account ownership, beneficiary designations, and assets that may remain outside the trust. Planning should include a clear understanding of the follow-through needed, who is responsible for it, and when the plan should be reviewed.
What We Can Discuss
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Whether a revocable living trust fits your goals.
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Selecting a trustee and successor trustees.
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Providing instructions for the management and distribution of trust property.
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Reviewing an existing trust after changes in family or assets.
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Coordinating a trust with a will and other estate planning documents.
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Identifying funding and ownership questions that need attention.
Common Questions
Does everyone need a living trust?
No. The appropriate plan depends on the individual. A consultation can help you compare the practical benefits, responsibilities, and alternatives.
Does a trust automatically avoid probate?
A trust can help address probate for property properly held in it, but assets outside it may require separate planning. Funding and coordination matter.
Can I change an existing trust?
A person who creates a revocable trust can generally amend or revoke it while legally able to act. The trust's terms and state law determine the method. Kansas and Missouri have different default rules for older trusts; an agent's authority under a power of attorney is limited. Bring the full trust and amendments for review. An irrevocable trust requires separate analysis. Sources: K.S.A. 58a-602; Mo. Rev. Stat. section 456.6-602.
Guidance for Trustees
The firm also assists with trust administration. If you have been named a successor trustee, start by locating the trust document, identifying the event that activates your duties, and clarifying your authority before distributing property. Josh can help review the trust, explain administrative responsibilities, and identify questions about records, beneficiaries, and the assets involved. The scope of work depends on the trust and the circumstances.
Planning From Home
Web consultations and secure intake make it easier to discuss your instructions and review your plan with Josh. Any signing or property-transfer arrangements are coordinated as part of completing the work.
Read about our convenient planning process.
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