202408.25
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The Importance of Estate Planning: Protecting Your Legacy and Your Loved Ones

Estate planning is often a topic that people prefer to avoid, as it involves contemplating the end of life and the distribution of assets after death. However, proper estate planning is crucial for anyone who wants to ensure that their wishes are honored, their loved ones are protected, and their estate is managed efficiently. This…

202408.19
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Choosing a Fiduciary, Attorney-in-Fact, or Agent: A Guide to Ensuring Proper Management of Your Financial Affairs

When it comes to managing your financial assets or making critical decisions on your behalf, selecting a fiduciary is one of the most significant decisions you can make. A fiduciary is an individual or institution legally obligated to act in your best interest, putting your needs above their own. This role can involve managing investments,…

202408.15
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Understanding Missouri Probate Administration: A Comprehensive Guide

Probate administration in the State of Missouri is a legal process that occurs after someone passes away, involving the validation and execution of their Last Will & Testament, or, in cases where no will exists, the distribution of their assets according to state law. Yes, you read that correctly, a will does not avoid probate,…

202408.14
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Best Practices for Managing Your Relationship with Your Attorney

Lawyers have also played a dominant role in American politics. “The government of demo­cracy is favorable to the political pow­er of lawyers,” Alexis de Tocqueville wrote more than a century ago. Of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Indepen­dence, 25 were lawyers. In the mid-19th century, approximately 80 percent of the U.S. Congress were…

Legal Considerations for Disposing of Dead Human Remains in Missouri
202408.02
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Legal Considerations for Disposing of Dead Human Remains in Missouri

The handling and disposal of human remains in Missouri are governed by a combination of state laws and regulations, which aim to ensure public health, respect for the deceased, and the rights of families. This article provides an overview of the legal framework surrounding the disposal of human remains in Missouri, including burial, cremation, and…

202407.24
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Legal Considerations in Missouri Will Signings: Ensuring Validity and Mitigating Disputes

In Missouri, if you die without a Last Will & Testament (will), your assets will be distributed according to state “intestacy” laws. In summary, those laws give your property to your closest relatives, beginning with your spouse and children. If you lack a spouse and children, your grandchildren or your parents will be next in…

202407.24
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Do not forget two key components of any estate plan:  a Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare and an Advanced Healthcare Directive

If you read my monthly articles regularly, you know the cornerstone of any estate plan is a Last Will and Testament, (hereinafter, “Will”). But a Will has many limitations and should never stand alone as a plan for your future. The following are a few of the limitations for Wills: A Will does not completely…

202011.30
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Who decides what happens to your human remains?

“Our new Constitution is now established, and has an appearance that promises permanency; but in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Benjamin Franklin, in a letter to Jean-Baptiste Le Roy, 1789. Benjamin Franklin was correct. Death is inevitable for all of us. As a result, each Missourian should…

What seniors should know about probate
201911.15
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What seniors should know about probate

“Where there’s a Will, there are 500 relatives” is a humorous take on the less desirable probate outcome for many Americans. But probate itself is not your enemy. Sometimes it can be a benefit. For example, the following instances often benefit from a court administering a decedent’s estate in probate: (1) family members and other…

201909.26
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What seniors should know about debt collection – part one of two

This two-part article takes a look at what seniors should know about debt collection. Americans are going further and further into the red. Experian Information Solutions reports that consumer debt in the United States reached $13 trillion in the fourth quarter of 2018. Helping to comprise that total debt are credit card debt at $834…