Estate Planning Attorney
- Estate Planning
Tailored estate Plans For Kansas Families
When someone in Wamego or Manhattan dies without an estate plan, their family heads to the Pottawatomie County District Court at 108 North 1st Street in Westmoreland and opens a probate case. Filing fees start under $70, and that’s before attorney fees, mandatory newspaper publication (K.S.A. 59-709), and months without access to assets. Kansas probate typically takes up 3–5% of the estate’s value. On a $300,000 estate, that’s up to $15,000 gone before your family sees a dollar.
Your family will be left in the court’s hands without an estate plan. It’s our job to prevent that.
Lisa Ward Law works with families across Wamego, Manhattan, St. Marys, and surrounding Pottawatomie and Riley County to make sure that they never have to step inside that courthouse. Our goal is to provide you with ultimate security for your legacy.
Your family will be left in the court’s hands without an estate plan. It’s our job to prevent that.
Lisa Ward Law works with families across Wamego, Manhattan, St. Marys, and surrounding Pottawatomie and Riley County to make sure that they never have to step inside that courthouse. Our goal is to provide you with ultimate security for your legacy.
Estate Planning Services We Provide
Wills
Names who will inherit which assets, who’s in charge of distributing them, and who will raise your minor children.
Trusts
Transfers assets to your family by bypassing probate court entirely. This is especially valuable for families with extensive assets, farm ground, a business, or minor children.
Powers of Attorney
Authorizes someone to manage your finances if you can’t (due to incapacitation). Without it, even a spouse may need court approval to act on your behalf.
Advanced Healthcare Directives
If you were to fall ill or get into a debilitating accident, what would happen to you? This tool allows you to answer that and designate someone you trust to help you medically. Without one, decisions default to a statutory priority list that may not reflect your wishes.
Family Protection Planning
Most parents skip this. A will names a guardian, but a full plan goes further: immediate care instructions, a backup guardian, and a trust so the money you leave is managed the way you’d manage it
Business Succession Planning
Authorizes someone to manage your finances if you can’t (due to incapacitation). Without it, even a spouse may need court approval to act on your behalf.
About Our Founding Attorney, Lisa Ward
Lisa Ward is a Wamego-based estate planning attorney with over 30 years of Kansas legal experience. She brings a strong Midwest work ethic along with the flexibility, focus, and creative problem-solving that real estate planning needs. She knows this community, and she makes sure every client leaves with a plan that will actually benefit them, their family, and their assets.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens to my kids if something happens to both of us?
A county judge appoints a guardian based on who shows up to court. A trust lets you set who manages the money, what it’s used for, and when your children receive it.
Do I need a will if my spouse would get everything anyway?
Not automatically. Under K.S.A. 59-507, if you have children, your spouse receives a fraction, and the children share the rest. That can force a sale of the family home. A will fixes this entirely.
At what age do I need an estate plan?
If you’re over 18, you should have at least an advanced healthcare directive. If you have children too, a Last Will and Testament. Really, if you own anything or have any kids, you need an estate plan.
Does Kansas have an estate tax?
No state estate tax; Kansas eliminated it in 2010. But the federal estate tax still applies if your estate exceeds $13.61 million.
How much does this cost?
Lisa Ward Law works on flat fees, disclosed upfront. For comparison, Kansas probate runs 3–5% of the gross estate plus court and publication fees. A planned estate costs a fraction of that, and it goes to your family, not the courthouse.
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Let us help you create a confidence-inspiring estate plan that ensures your future is secured. Click or call today to get your consultation with Lisa Ward Law.