Despite acknowledging the benefits of estate planning, more than half of all Americans do not yet have an estate plan in place. The lack of an estate plan is unfortunate because a well thought out plan can accomplish a number of important goals, including creating a roadmap for the division of your assets after your death, protecting you and your family in the event of should you become incapacitated, and ensuring that your loved ones are financially secure when you are gone. If you are a resident of Sappington, Missouri, the estate planning attorneys at Amen, Gantner & Capriano, Your Estate Matter, LLC look forward to helping you get started on your estate plan and watching that plan grow as your estate grows in the years to come.
Sappington, Missouri
Located in the southeastern portion of St. Louis County, which itself can be found along the eastern border of Missouri, Sappington is an unincorporated census-designated place. Named for a family of pioneer settlers, Sappington covers 2.6 square miles and had a population of 7,580 residents as of the 2010 Census.
During the latter half of the 18th century, several European colonial settlements were established in the area that would eventually include Sappington. When France ceded territories east of the Mississippi to Spain after losing the Seven Years’ War, many French colonists moved west.
After the transfer of Louisiana Territory to the United States, the authority to grant incorporation to municipalities was delegated to the Territory and later to the state. The first to gain municipal status in St. Louis County was St. Louis, which incorporated on November 9, 1809 under the territorial legislature, and gained city status on December 9, 1822.
The area around Sappington grew substantially during the latter half of the 19th century, due in large part to the construction of the Pacific Railroad, later known as the Missouri Pacific Railroad. St. Louis County as a whole also experienced steady growth throughout the 20th century. Today, St. Louis County encompasses over 500 square miles and is home to around one million residents, making it the most populous county in the state. Because of suburban sprawl, the City of St. Louis is now just a short car ride away from Sappington. Residents of Sappington, therefore, enjoy the benefits of suburban living without missing out on any of the conveniences offered by the booming metropolis of St. Louis.
Amen, Gantner & Capriano in the Sappington, Missouri Community
As part of the Sappington, Missouri community, the estate planning attorneys at Amen, Gantner & Capriano are dedicated to meeting the estate planning needs of our friends and neighbors throughout the area. Because we understand the benefit of creating lifelong relationships with our estate planning clients, we believe in working one on one with each client in an effort to build that lasting partnership. As your life evolves, we are committed to ensuring that your estate plan evolves along with it.
The evolution of both your family and your estate will be marked by important benchmarks and events. Many of those should trigger a review and revision of your estate plan. Because your estate plan continues to change and grow to keep up with the changes in your life, it is important to develop a strong, and ongoing, relationship with your estate planning attorney. Your initial estate plan will likely be rather simplistic because you will be young, single, and just embarking on your career path. Consequently, your primary goal will likely be to ensure that you do not leave behind an intestate estate in the event of your death which can be accomplished with a simple Last Will and Testament. As your family and your estate grow however, your estate plan will need to expand to accommodate those changes. If you decide to marry, for instance, you may want to add your new spouse as a beneficiary and/or a fiduciary within your estate plan. The birth of a child will trigger the need to protect your minor child’s inheritance. Having a family should prompt you to worry about the possibility of your own incapacity and the need to include incapacity planning in your overall estate plan. The more valuable and complex your estate becomes, the more important it will be to incorporate tax avoidance, asset protection, and probate avoidance tools and strategies into your plan. Looking to the future, the need to merge your retirement plan with your estate plan should be considered to ensure that they work in harmony with one another. Long-term planning and the possibility that you will need to qualify for Medicaid as a senior may also necessitate the addition of a Medicaid planning component. Finally, if you have strong beliefs regarding end of life medical care and/or about how your body should be handled after your death, it is imperative that you include advance directives as well as funeral and burial planning components in your comprehensive estate plan to ensure that your wishes are honored at the end of your life.
The estate planning team at Amen, Gantner & Capriano, Your Estate Matters, LLC would be honored to be your choice to help you with all of your estate planning needs, both now and for the rest of your life.
Contact Us
If you have additional questions or concerns about estate planning, or wish to get started with your plan, contact the experienced Sappington, Missouri estate planning attorneys at Amen, Gantner & Capriano, Your Estate Matters, LLC by calling (314) 966-8077 to schedule an appointment.
