Articles — page 7
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I Lost My Spouse and Everything Feels Frozen. What Is Actually Happening
Written by: Attorney Scott Stork There is a specific kind of disorientation that nobody prepares you for. It is not just the grief, though the grief is enormous. It is the moment, maybe a week after the funeral, when… Read “I Lost My Spouse and Everything Feels Frozen. What Is Actually Happening”
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Why Probate Timelines Feel Unclear and What Actually Slows Them Down
Written by: Attorney Raymond Chandler Probate in Missouri typically takes nine to eighteen months for a standard estate. Smaller estates that qualify for the simplified process can finish in three to six months, while… Read “Why Probate Timelines Feel Unclear and What Actually Slows Them Down”
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You’ve Been Named Executor. What Actually Happens Next in Missouri
Written by: Attorney Anne Harris As executor in Missouri, your job is to file the will with the probate court, get Letters Testamentary that give you legal authority to act, inventory the estate’s assets within 30 days… Read “You’ve Been Named Executor. What Actually Happens Next in Missouri”
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What Your Kids Won’t Know (And Why That’s a Problem)
Written by: Attorney Marcus Tecarro The estate planning attorney hands you the final documents. Everything is signed, notarized, and properly executed. The trust is funded. Powers of attorney are in place. You drive… Read “What Your Kids Won’t Know (And Why That’s a Problem)”
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The Nest Is Empty. Now What Happens to the House?
Written by: Attorney Scott Stork The last box is loaded into the car. Your youngest is heading off to college, a new job, or their first apartment. You stand in the driveway waving goodbye, then turn back toward a house… Read “The Nest Is Empty. Now What Happens to the House?”
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Probate Doesn’t Care How Much You Planned
Written by: Attorney Raymond Chandler You left the attorney’s office feeling accomplished. The will was signed, witnessed, and notarized. The powers of attorney were organized in your filing cabinet. You updated your… Read “Probate Doesn’t Care How Much You Planned”
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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”