202004.14
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A Last Will & Testament is Not Enough

Our law firm regularly receives inquiries from potential clients asking for a “simple Will” and how much they cost. While I never discount why people call and ask for an inexpensive solution to their estate planning problems, and I always appreciate their desire to establish a Will using our law firm, the question is analogous…

201904.30
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Wills v. Trusts – Do you know the difference?

So, you are advancing in age and you know you owe your family members the duty of establishing an estate plan with a professional. Good for you. In some instances, the realization that estate plans are necessary comes too late such as when an unexpected death occurs. In those instances, the intestacy succession laws found…

201903.19
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Alcohol abuse among seniors – a growing trend

The United States and alcohol consumption go hand in hand. Throughout the history of our great country, Americans have struggled to find a healthy balance between reasonable alcohol consumption and the over indulgence of intoxicating beverages. Our forefathers, seeking a new life in America, brought with them a culture of alcohol consumption, and sometimes alcohol…

201903.12
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Reverse mortgages – the good, bad and the ugly

Congratulations seniors, these are your Golden Years. Your Social Security check exceeds your expenses and your children are all doctors and lawyers who never ask for handouts and seem terribly happy with their lives. You have very few wrinkles and a head full of dark hair. Your home continues to appreciate annually and your mortgage…

201808.15
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Why Create a Durable Power of Attorney for Financial Decisions?

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…

201801.02
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Durable Power of Attorney v. Springing Power of Attorney

A power of attorney (POA) is “a written document in which one person (the principal) appoints another person to act as an agent on his or her behalf, thus conferring authority on the agent to perform certain acts or functions on behalf of the principal” according to The Free Dictionary by Farlex.  Powers of attorney…

201711.27
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The Merits of an Advance Healthcare Directive (Living Will) and a Do Not Resuscitate Order (DNR)

Death is an inevitable part of life. Many of us are reluctant to face that fact but the last time I checked, none of us will live forever; therefore, planning for end-of-life events is not only prudent, but it is also an excellent way to protect the assets you obtained during your lifetime and a…

201711.09
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Estate Planning for Non-Traditional Families

The 2010 Census revealed that the traditional nuclear family, a family with married, heterosexual parents and two children, has disappeared at an alarming rate. What a drastic change from just sixty years ago when shows like “Father Knows Best” reflected family values where the male was the figurehead and the wife and kids supported him…

201710.23
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Todd Miller earns award from Missouri Bar

http://www.mobar.org/Media-Center/News-Blog/best-cle/miller-todd/ As posted on The Missouri Bar website August 30, 2017: “Todd Miller has made substantial contributions to the continuing legal education of Missouri’sattorneys by volunteering his time at various Missouri Bar CLE programs. Miller has served as a presenter for Hanging Out Your First Shingle and How to Start & Build a Successful Law…

201709.29
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Animals in Hot or Cold Vehicles – May Missourians Break Windows and Come to Their Rescue?

Is it a criminal act in Missouri to leave an animal unattended in a hot or cold car? Is it a criminal act in Missouri to break into a vehicle to save an animal from a hot or cold car? Who among us may break into a vehicle to save an animal without fear of…