Estate Planning & Elder Law Articles — page 9
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Your Trust Is Signed… But Is It Funded?
Written by: Attorney Anne Harris Your trust may be signed, but if it was never funded, it will not work. This is the part nobody explains clearly at the signing ceremony: having trust documents is not the same as having… Read “Your Trust Is Signed… But Is It Funded?”
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5 Questions to Ask Before Your Parent Needs a Nursing Home
Written by: Attorney Marcus Tecarro You watch your mother struggle to get out of a chair. Your father forgets the same story he told you yesterday. The doctor uses phrases like “declining mobility” and “progressive… Read “5 Questions to Ask Before Your Parent Needs a Nursing Home”
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Can Medicaid Really Take Your Parents’ House?
Written by: Attorney Scott Stork Yes and no, and knowing the difference could save your family’s home. Medicaid will not seize your parents’ house while they’re alive. The home is a protected asset, and they don’t have… Read “Can Medicaid Really Take Your Parents’ House?”
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3 Things That Changed Since You Last Updated Your Estate Plan
You probably remember the year you created your estate plan. Maybe it was 2010, after your second child was born. Or 2012, when you bought the house. The signing ceremony felt significant. You gathered documents, met… Read “3 Things That Changed Since You Last Updated Your Estate Plan”
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Is Your Estate Plan as Outdated as Your Kids’ Baby Photos?
Remember that old photo album tucked away in the closet? The one where your kids still have missing teeth and questionable haircuts? You probably laugh when you stumble across those pictures, marveling at how much has… Read “Is Your Estate Plan as Outdated as Your Kids’ Baby Photos?”
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The Nursing Home Nightmare: Protecting Your St. Charles Home in 2026
Written by: Attorney Anne Harris Can you protect your St. Charles home from Missouri’s nursing home costs? Yes, but only if you plan ahead. For families in St. Charles and St. Louis County, the transition to an “empty… Read “The Nursing Home Nightmare: Protecting Your St. Charles Home in 2026”
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The “Empty Nest” Audit: Is Your 15-Year-Old Will a Liability?
For families in St. Charles and St. Louis County, the transition to an “empty nest” is often marked by a sense of relief and the excitement of a new chapter. However, there is an invisible threat that industry experts… Read “The “Empty Nest” Audit: Is Your 15-Year-Old Will a Liability?”
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Beyond the Handout: Protecting Your Children from Divorce and Lawsuits
For many Missouri families, the ultimate goal of estate planning is to leave a “blessing, not a burden.” You’ve spent decades building your legacy in St. Charles or St. Louis County, and you likely assume that the… Read “Beyond the Handout: Protecting Your Children from Divorce and Lawsuits”
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The Empty Bucket Syndrome: Why a 10-Year-Old Trust is a Liability in 2026
One of the most dangerous and seldom-discussed phenomena in estate planning is the “Out-of-Bucket Experience.” You may have a perfectly drafted document, but if you have refinanced your Wentzville home, opened a new… Read “The Empty Bucket Syndrome: Why a 10-Year-Old Trust is a Liability in 2026”
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Is It Too Late? The Truth About Missouri Crisis Medicaid Planning
If you are reading this from a plastic chair in a hospital waiting room in Wentzville or a quiet hallway in a St. Peters care facility, you are likely feeling “The Squeeze.” This is the suffocating pressure of a 24-hour… Read “Is It Too Late? The Truth About Missouri Crisis Medicaid Planning”