After you have your estate plan ready to go, you will need to make an important decision about who will manage and oversee that plan when you die. This person is the executor of your estate. He or she holds a very important position in that his or her job is to make...
Are there advantages to probate?
As Missouri families and individuals get their affairs in order and create an estate plan that gives them peace of mind about the future, there are many new terms and rules to learn. One of the issues that commonly comes up during these discussions is probate....
Understanding Durable power of attorney
Planning the next several decades comes with a lot of topics and thought, but it is all in preparation to take what you have rightfully earned and ensure that it goes to who you feel deserves or needs it most. Getting a will submitted into probate, at the end of the...
How to choose the agent for your power of attorney
In Missouri, a power of attorney is an estate planning document that authorizes a person, known as the agent, to make medical and financial decisions on behalf of the principal, who created the document. There are different ways of choosing the agent named in the...
3 signs that you need to review your will
Like most of your friends and family members, you are seemingly busier than ever. In the limited amount of time you have each day, you may juggle work, family, religious, recreational and other obligations. Still, thinking about what happens to your assets after your...
5 ways to avoid probate
Probate is the court process that your property and possessions go through after you pass away. It includes distributing these assets per your will. In Missouri, probate cases can remain open for up to 12 months. As a result, loved ones cannot access the assets until...
Does Missouri have a death tax?
An estate tax, commonly referred to as a death tax, is a topic that may come up when you discuss your estate plans with friends, family or advisers. While many people are aware of the federal estate tax, some people may wonder if Missouri possesses its own estate tax....
The importance of naming a health care power of attorney
No one wants to think of what happens at the end of life, but it is an important aspect of Missouri estate planning. Making a health care power of attorney will ensure that the hospital staff carries out one’s wishes in regard to medical care and life support. ...
How does the court handle debt during probate?
It is easy to think that when you die, your debts die with you. However, that is not how it works. Even after your death, your debt collectors still want to recoup the money you owe them. To do this, they will go after your estate. The Missouri probate court has a...
