Like many fleeting things, the fully paid-off home, once a constant for most seniors, is occurring less frequently. Americans over the age of 55, are shifting their patterns of homeownership. Many Baby Boomers are choosing instead to rent apartments and condominiums. In fact, a recent Rent.com survey of apartment managers found that nearly 1/3 of…
Controversial as it may be, the question should be asked…is it wise for Missouri Seniors to own pets? According to a 2011 Harris Poll, 62% of Americans own a pet. Estimates published by the American Pet Products Association (APPA) indicate there are a staggering 70-80 million dogs and 74-96 million cats owned in the United…
“A man should not leave this earth with unfinished business. He should live each day as if it was a pre-flight check. He should ask each morning, am I prepared for lift-off?” Diane Frolov and Andrew Scheider, Northern Exposure, All is Vanity, 1991. According to the legal resource FindLaw.com, approximately 55% of American do not…
One question asked of all seniors entering a residential care facility is “did you or your spouse ever serve in the military?” If the applicant responds “yes,” then the facility may be eligible for up to $2,837.00 per month from the Department of Veterans Affairs towards the cost of his or her care. The benefit…
Who Are They? In its 2015 National Lawyer Population by State report, the American Bar Association indicated there were 25,337 attorneys in Missouri. Before you think that indicates we have more than enough attorneys, please note the ABA also reported that 11,656 of those attorneys are “Idle Attorneys” or those who are licensed and on…
The Missouri Durable Power of Attorney Law is set forth in Chapter 404.700 through 404.735 of the Missouri Revised Statutes. A power of attorney is a legal document wherein you voluntarily, and with informed consent, and in the presence of witnesses, give another person powers to address your property and finances. Although you may select multiple parties to…
Legal disputes with contractors occur often and in some instances can involve your most expensive asset…your home. Liens and encumbrances involving contractors can be avoided if you choose contractors wisely. The choice of a reputable contractor is especially important for those on limited budgets, seniors and single parents and can be the difference between bliss…
Seniors are not immune to the collapsing state of marriage in America. According to the National Center for Family & Marriage Research at Bowling Green State University, the divorce rate for couples over 50 doubled from 1990-2009. While some experts think that the trend is because of our growing cultural acceptance of divorce, still others…
Many individuals are offended after receiving a traffic ticket and desire to remove it from their record at all costs. Our firm represented traffic clients in over 30 Missouri jurisdictions last year and we monitor traffic offenses carefully and encourage clients to seek a disposition with counsel and without points whenever possible. This article examines…
1. ILLEGAL STOP – a Missouri DWI Enforcement officer cannot stop a car without having a reasonable and articulate basis to believe that a law has been violated or he can articulate unusual operation of the motor vehicle. Therefore, if the Missouri DWI enforcement officer stops the car because he saw the driver walk out…
