What Happens If I Die Without a Will?

Posted by Sheri Jo Tucker, M.S., J.D.Jul 11, 20200 Comments

Many Americans spend a lifetime earning a retirement, paying for a home, building up a dream savings.  People spend years gathering but very little on life planning. You may ask, “What happens if I die without a last Will and Testament?” In St. Louis County Missouri, more than fifty percent (50%)...

How do I Give Money to Charity When I Die?

Posted by Sheri Jo Tucker, M.S., J.D.Jun 01, 20200 Comments

Often, I sit down with single people and older adults who want to leave money to a charity.  The question asked is “How do I give money to a charity when I die?  One option is to create a Charity Trust to support a non-profit cause that is close to your heart. Are you single and have no children?...

Elder Law and COVID-19

Posted by Sheri Jo Tucker, M.S., J.D.Apr 01, 20200 Comments

As an Elder law and estate planning attorney in this time of COVID-19, I want to reach out to each of you to remind everyone to pay attention to the vulnerable seniors, elders, and people with disabilities who may feel isolated and alone.  Although we have a social distancing measure in place, la...

Boutique Trusts in Estate Planning

Posted by Sheri Jo Tucker, M.S., J.D.Mar 31, 20200 Comments

Estate Planning encompasses more than a will and revocable living trusts. I call trusts that serve a unique and specific purpose in estate planning “boutique trusts.”  Sometimes life changes after an estate plan is in place such as adopting a pet, acquiring digital assets, or buying a firearm. “B...

Medicaid Planning in Elder Law

Posted by Sheri Jo Tucker, M.S., J.D.Feb 13, 20200 Comments

Medicaid Planning in Elder Law helps senior citizens cover their healthcare costs. With the rising expenses of nursing homes and other personal care services, more and more elderly people are relying on Medicaid.   Specific laws govern who may qualify for Medicaid.  Each state sets how much finan...

Powers of Attorney in Elder Law FAQ

Posted by Sheri Jo Tucker, M.S., J.D.Jan 06, 20200 Comments

Powers of Attorney are a useful tool for people of all ages. In Elder Law powers of attorney are a powerful for those who are growing older. We often receive questions about Powers of Attorney and the role they play in elder law. Today, let's answer some frequent questions. What is a Financial Po...

Updating Estate Plans

Posted by Sheri Jo Tucker, M.S., J.D.Dec 11, 20190 Comments

What are reasons to update estate plans? Your estate Plan changes with life and life changes requires updating estate plans. Too often, people make the mistake of failing to have an estate plan. Another mistake is to take a document, put it into a safe, and never update it. You may say, “Oh, I'll...

How to Fund Your Revocable Living Trust

Posted by Sheri Jo Tucker, M.S., J.D.Nov 06, 20190 Comments

Funding your Revocable Living Trust is important so that you keep the trust as a working part of your estate plan. Without funding, a revocable living trust is useless. Trusts are an essential part of an estate plan because they can protect your assets from estate taxes, probate costs, creditor c...

Digital Assets in Estate Planning

Posted by Sheri Jo Tucker, M.S., J.D.Oct 20, 20190 Comments

Digital Assets in Estate Planning are increasing as a valuable asset. It is a new type of property for attorneys to include in estate plans. When most people think about estate planning, they consider their physical assets—their home, antiques, valuable jewelry, stocks, and cash. Today, a recent ...

Missouri Probate Explained

Posted by Sheri Jo Tucker, M.S., J.D.Sep 20, 20190 Comments

Navigating Missouri Probate is explained to help you with some basic understanding. If you recently experienced a death in the family, it is important to understand probate's legal proceedings. What is Probate? Probate is a court process ensuring the payments of debts, asset collection, and asset...

Special Needs Trust for Disabilities

Posted by Sheri Jo Tucker, M.S., J.D.Aug 20, 20190 Comments

Photo by Nathan Anderson @nathananderson A Special Needs Trust helps your child with a disability. When you have a child or another family member with special needs,  take extra care  planning your estate. Although estate planning should always be a personalized process, it's especially important...

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