A micro-electrical-mechanical system (MEMS) device comprising: a substrate; and a free-standing and suspended electroplated metal MEMS structure formed on the substrate and comprising: a metal mechanical element mechanically coupled to the substrate, the metal mechanical element having a cantilevered portion; and a seed layer mechanically coupled to and in electrical communication with the mechanical element, wherein the seed layer is left intact on an underside of the mechanical element that faces the substrate, the seed layer comprising at least one of a refractory metal and a refractory metal alloy; wherein a thickness of the mechanical element is substantially greater than a thickness of the seed layer such that the mechanical and electrical properties of the free-standing and suspended electroplated metal MEMS structure are defined by the material properties of the mechanical element, characterized in that the thickness of the seed layer is selected such that the product of a residual stress in the mechanical element and the thickness of the mechanical element is greater than three times the product of the residual stress in the seed layer and the thickness of the seed layer. a substrate; and a free-standing and suspended electroplated metal MEMS structure formed on the substrate and comprising: a metal mechanical element mechanically coupled to the substrate, the metal mechanical element having a cantilevered portion; and a seed layer mechanically coupled to and in electrical communication with the mechanical element, wherein the seed layer is left intact on an underside of the mechanical element that faces the substrate, the seed layer comprising at least one of a refractory metal and a refractory metal alloy; wherein a thickness of the mechanical element is substantially greater than a thickness of the seed layer such that the mechanical and electrical properties of the free-standing and suspended electroplated metal MEMS structure are defined by the material properties of the mechanical element, characterized in that the thickness of the seed layer is selected such that the product of a residual stress in the mechanical element and the thickness of the mechanical element is greater than three times the product of the residual stress in the seed layer and the thickness of the seed layer. a metal mechanical element mechanically coupled to the substrate, the metal mechanical element having a cantilevered portion; and a seed layer mechanically coupled to and in electrical communication with the mechanical element, wherein the seed layer is left intact on an underside of the mechanical element that faces the substrate, the seed layer comprising at least one of a refractory metal and a refractory metal alloy; wherein a thickness of the mechanical element is substantially greater than a thickness of the seed layer such that the mechanical and electrical properties of the free-standing and suspended electroplated metal MEMS structure are defined by the material properties of the mechanical element, characterized in that the thickness of the seed layer is selected such that the product of a residual stress in the mechanical element and the thickness of the mechanical element is greater than three times the product of the residual stress in the seed layer and the thickness of the seed layer.