Your very first estate planning document was likely a Last Will and Testament. Although you will undoubtedly continue to rely on a Will within your estate plan, as your family and your estate grow you will need to incorporate additional tools into your estate plan in order to achieve a widening circle of goals. Among the most common of those additional tools is a living trust. While there are a seemingly endless number of reasons why you might want to include a living trust in your estate plan, … [Read more...]

Are you certain that all of your family members are protected and provided for in your estate plan? Your initial reaction to that question is undoubtedly a “yes!” If you are one of the millions of Americans who own a pet, however, you may need to reconsider your answer unless you have already included your pet in your estate plan. Like most people in the United States, you probably consider your dog, cat, or other pet to be part of the family. If so, why wouldn’t your pet also be a … [Read more...]

Although once used almost exclusively by wealthy families, trusts are now commonly found in the average person’s estate plan. If you are contemplating the addition of a living trust to your estate plan, one of the most important decisions you will need to make when creating your trust is who to appoint as your Trustee. One of the most common reasons for a trust to fail is appointing the wrong Trustee. Typically, that happens because the Settlor doesn’t really understand what the duties and … [Read more...]

Most people envision executing a Last Will and Testament when they think about estate planning because for most people a Will is the first estate planning document they include in their estate plan. To create a comprehensive estate plan, however, additional documents and tools will likely be incorporated into your plan. A living trust is one of the most popular of those tools. If you are unfamiliar with how a living trust works, the Kirkwood living trust attorneys at Amen, Gantner & … [Read more...]

Throughout your lifetime you will likely need the assistance of several different types of lawyers. The key to getting the most out of legal advice is going to the right type of lawyer for that advice. Just as you would not consult a pediatrician if you were having chest pains, you should not go to a criminal defense lawyer if you need advice on estate planning. At some point, you may find that you need advice and/or assistance from a living trust lawyer. Knowing what type of legal matters a … [Read more...]

One of the most popular additions to a comprehensive estate plan is a trust. Though once used primarily by wealthy families as a way to shelter, control, and pass down their wealth, trusts are now commonly found in the estate plan of the average person. Trusts have evolved to the point where there are numerous specialized trusts that focus on accomplishing very specific estate planning goals. All trusts, however, require the same basic elements for creation. One of those is the appointment of a … [Read more...]

Like most people, your estate plan will likely begin with the execution of a Last Will and Testament. Your Will may serve as the foundation of your estate plan; however, as both your family and your estate grow you will probably need to incorporate additional estate planning tools and strategies into your plan in order to accommodate that growth. One of the most common additions to an estate plan is a trust, due in large part to the flexible nature of trusts and the numerous goals a trust can … [Read more...]

The primary goal of an estate plan is typically to create a roadmap for the distribution of estate assets upon the death of the individual creating the plan. A comprehensive estate plan, however, will also include a variety of additional interrelated goals and objectives. In order to create a well thought out and all-inclusive estate plan, it is best to work closely with both your Missouri estate planning attorney and financial planner. Before you can begin on your estate plan, however, it is … [Read more...]

Like many people, you likely hope to be able to pass down your estate to your children and/or grandchildren when you are gone. To do that, you need to protect your estate assets now, while you are here. Whether you realize it or not, there are likely a number of possible threats to those assets – some are obvious while others are not. Moreover, there may be threats to your assets lurking around the corner in the future that you cannot anticipate now, making it even more important to incorporate … [Read more...]

Estate planning typically involves a number of tools and strategies above and beyond a basic Last Will and Testament. One of the most common of those tools is a trust. Though once used primarily by the wealthy as a method by which the family wealth was passed down, trusts have evolved to the point where they are now found in the average person’s estate plan. You may know enough about trusts to believe your estate  plan might benefit from the addition of one; however, you may not know what type … [Read more...]