There are a lot of self-help resources out there, with a significant number of them aimed at helping you address your legal challenges. Estate planning isn’t any different. A quick Google search can land you in a virtual field of sample wills and trust documents,...
What if your children aren’t interested in your possessions?
You may have a beautiful home, family heirlooms and other treasured possessions that you want to pass on to your children in a will or trust. However, what if your children do not feel the same way? Sometimes a person simply does not want to inherit the personal...
Using an advance directive to guide health care decisions
All Missourians face an inevitable end to their life. When or how this event will occur cannot be predicted, but certain step can be made to preserve and distribute a person’s assets in accordance with their wishes. Wills and trusts have been used to carry out these...
How the Secure Act changes the stretch IRA
As people plan for retirement, they usually consider not only their own comfort and financial security in their golden years, but also how to provide for their loved ones. Anyone who is involved in estate planning is aware not only of the huge tax changes in the Tax...
Understanding a power of attorney for healthcare
A power of attorney for healthcare can be a useful tool to consider using along with an estate plan. In Missouri, a power of attorney for healthcare allows an agent to make health care decisions for the principal. The principal is the person who creates the power of...
How should I select an executor for my estate?
Selecting an executor for your estate is an important part of the estate planning process. For that reason, estate planners should know how to select the best executor for their estate and a few factors to consider can help them be in a better position to do that. The...
Do I need a will?
Estate planning is something that does not always get the attention it deserves. It is easy to take for granted our safety, which is why many of us do not develop a thorough estate plan. If you do not have an estate plan, do you need one? Despite the benefits of a...
How important is a financial power of attorney?
Many couples get advice on the importance of advanced directives such as a living will or a durable power of attorney to accompany their will or trust. But as part of the estate planning process, it is also important to consider naming a financial POA while assessing...
How creative can I be when estate planning?
To make your estate plan look the way you want it to look, you may want to get a little creative. Perhaps you plan to add conditions to trust payouts or take a non-traditional approach to how you express your end-of-life wishes. However, before you do any of this, it...
Estate planning to protect heirs from making common errors
For Missouri residents who have accrued a relatively ample portfolio and are considering their legacy, it can be worrisome if they think their heirs could make mistakes to deplete or outright lose their inheritance. As Baby Boomers age, they are increasingly thinking...
