Estate Planning & Probate · Louisville, KY
Plans that hold up.
Estates that settle right.
Wills, trusts, probate, Medicaid and long-term-care planning - led by Rob Walker, former Commissioner of Kentucky’s Department of Workers’ Claims and founder of East End Elder Law. The point isn’t the legal documents. It’s the family on the other side of them.
01 · Why a plan matters
Without a plan, the state decides.
With a plan, you do.
When someone dies in Kentucky without a will or trust, the court applies the state’s intestacy statute to decide who gets what. Spouses, children, parents - there’s a fixed order. Your house, your retirement, your stake in the family business: distributed by formula, not by your actual relationships.
Probate takes time. Family disagreements take more. And a Medicaid spend-down on top of long-term-care expenses can erode an estate that took a lifetime to build - fast.
We don’t sell document packages. We build a plan around how your family actually works: where the money lives, who it should reach, what happens if you can’t decide for yourself, and how to make probate uncomplicated when the day comes.
02 · How we help
Plain English.
Plain process.
- 01
Consult.
Free, no-obligation. We listen first. By the end of the call we know what you have, what you want, and whether a formal plan makes sense for your situation.
- 02
Plan.
A custom plan - will, trust, POA, advance directive, long-term-care strategy - sized to your estate and your family. No template-pack shortcuts.
- 03
Documents.
Drafted in plain English with the legal precision Kentucky probate demands. Reviewed with you in person. Signed and notarized at our office.
- 04
Review.
Every plan gets a periodic check-in. Tax law changes. Families change. The plan you wrote at 55 isn’t the one you need at 75.
03 · What we handle
Estate Planning & Probate -
five doors, one roof.
Whether you need a single document or a full plan, we work across the whole landscape of Kentucky estate work.
- 01
Wills
The foundation. Names an executor, distributes property, designates guardians for minor children. Fast to draft; expensive to fix if you wait too long.
- 02
Trusts
Revocable living trusts can keep assets out of probate entirely. Special-needs trusts protect benefits for a disabled family member. Irrevocable trusts handle Medicaid asset-protection.
- 03
Probate
When you’re the executor - or when there’s no will - we walk the estate through the Kentucky probate process. Asset inventory, creditor claims, tax filings, distribution.
- 04
POA & Advance Directives
Who decides for you when you can’t. Financial POA, healthcare POA, living will - the documents nobody reads carefully until they need them.
- 05
Medicaid & Long-Term-Care
Kentucky’s Medicaid rules have a five-year look-back on asset transfers. Started early, planning preserves a meaningful share of an estate. Started late, it doesn’t.
04 · About Rob Walker
Rob Walker.
The estate planner.
Senior Litigation Attorney at Colyer Law Firm. Founder of East End Elder Law, the division dedicated to estate planning, probate, Medicaid, and elder advocacy.
In 2020, Governor Andy Beshear appointed Rob to lead the Kentucky Department of Workers’ Compensation Claims - overseeing administrative judges, injured workers, and employers across the state. He returned to private practice to advocate for individuals one-on-one again.
Decades of practice in Kentucky probate court. Plain-English explainer. Patient with families during the worst weeks of their lives.
East End Elder Law operates under Walker Law, PLLC and works alongside Colyer Law on estate planning, probate, and Medicaid matters. Same office building. Same family. Cross-referrals between practice areas mean clients don’t shop around for the next problem.
05 · Common questions
Estate Planning & Probate -
straight answers.
Do I really need a will?
Yes. Without one, Kentucky’s intestacy statute decides who gets what - not you. Even a simple will is a massive upgrade over having no plan at all.
What’s the difference between a will and a trust?
A will distributes assets through probate court after you die. A revocable trust holds assets during your lifetime, distributes them privately after death, and skips probate. Most plans use both.
How much does an estate plan cost?
Flat fees, no hourly surprises. A basic will package runs less than people expect. A trust-based plan is more involved. We tell you the price up front, before any work begins.
When should I update my plan?
After any major life event - marriage, divorce, birth, death, a new business, a move, or a significant change in assets. At minimum, every five years for a sanity check.
Can a will be contested?
Yes, on grounds like undue influence, lack of capacity, or improper execution. A properly drafted, properly witnessed will is much harder to contest. That’s part of why DIY wills cause problems.
Estate Planning & Probate · Louisville, KY
Got a question?
Let’s walk it through.
Free first consultation with Rob. Bring whatever you have - old will, deeds, account statements, questions - and we’ll figure out the plan together.