KJS Legal Services LLC

Best statutes to follow, then the governance of course too.

August is national make a Last Will & Testament (the "Will") month.
Why a Will Matters:

Protect loved ones: Name a guardian for minor children or set up care plans for pets.

Control your assets: Decide how your life time's acquisition of real and personal property, money, and belongings are shared.

Reduce conflict: Prevent arguments and confusion among family members thereby keeping the peace and unity.

Support causes: Leave a charitable gift or donation to a nonprofit you care about.

Steps to Get Started:
List your assets: Write down your bank accounts, real estate, investments, retirement accounts, life insurance policies, vehicles, and valuable personal items.

Check beneficiaries: Review accounts like bank accounts for POD's, life insurance and retirement funds to ensure beneficiary names are current.

Choose an executor: Pick a trusted person to carry out the instructions in your Will.
Plan for health and finance: Look into powers of attorney and healthcare directives alongside your will. Online platforms offer tools but do not plan for avoiding probate.

Avoid Probate? A Will does not. Did you know a Will cannot govern your Estate without first being probated in a court of law? This requires your loved ones to hire an attorney and hearings to be involved once the Will is accepted into Probate. Due process is required with publication when real estate is involved, and sometimes a year passes before assets can be distributed to loved ones. However, even with a Will, probate can be avoided if advice on how to do so is sought and carefully followed. Let us assist in that process. Your loved ones will appreciate all you have set up for them and they will truly benefit by a faster process without an attorney, Courts, nor hearings involved, and the funds spent on Court costs and attorney fees will instead be part of their inheritance.
A Trust: A Trust may be a better fit for your blended family or for not having to worry about changing and updating your beneficiaries manually on each asset each time there is a familial change, or by having to re-record a Beneficiary or TOD real estate Deed. A Trust can account for most every possible scenario that happens in life so that it is applicable without amendment. Although if you choose to make a change, a simple amendment to the one document is all that is necessary.

Contact us for assistance where consults are always free at [email protected]. We are happy to assist. Blessings to your lineage and heritage!!!!

Go vote today!!!!

Just a friendly reminder to Sedgwick County Seniors to find out now before April 15th, if you qualify for a refund of a portion of your real estate taxes.

With half of real estate taxes being due to Sedgwick County on December 22nd and the remaining half in May, if your’e 55 and older, be aware of the discounts that you may qualify for. All you need to do is complete the paperwork found at this link that includes the instructions:

https://www.ksrevenue.gov/forms-hs.html

Hey Maricopa County Seniors who qualify! Don't forget about the "Senior Freeze" on real estate taxes if you qualify. It's worth checking out while you're getting your taxes prepared.

https://www.mcassessor.maricopa.gov/page/valuation_relief/svp/ #:~:text=What%20is%20the%20Senior%20Valuation,value%20for%203%20consecutive%20years.

With half of real estate taxes being due to Sedgwick County on December 22nd and the remaining half in May, if your’e 55 and older, be aware of the discounts that you may qualify for. All you need to do is complete the paperwork found at this link that includes the instructions:

https://www.ksrevenue.gov/forms-hs.html