Crafting an Estate Plan that Reflects Your Unique Priorities

If you die while married, you might assume everything goes to your spouse and children. However, this only happens if you don't have a will, a situation known as dying intestate. In this case, the laws vary by state, but usually, your spouse gets part of your assets, with the rest going to your children or parents, depending on your situation. The exact amount your spouse inherits depends on state law. While it seems straightforward—your spouse and kids receiving inheritance—there are common family situations where these laws can fall short.

Missouri Probate Process Explained

There are several ways to start the process of appointing a guardian. Family members and even friends can file a petition to have a guardian appointed. A person can also file the petition on their own behalf, if they feel that they need to. Occasionally, a state or local agency may petition for a person to have a guardian appointed.

Many parents find themselves in this difficult situation: their disabled or incapacitated child turns 18 and the parent can no longer legally make decisions on their child’s behalf. In Missouri, parents can obtain an adult guardianship or conservatorship over their adult child upon the age of 18.

When a person passes without a well-drafted living trust, a person may need to go through a court managed process to remove the assets from the deceased person’s name and to pass them to beneficiaries.

So, you and your spouse have made the difficult decision to file for divorce and you are now wondering how do you even start this process?

It can be difficult for individuals to think about their own incapacity or death. But spending a few moments doing what you need to do to prepare for it, can make life much easier for your loved ones.

A guardian is a person who has been appointed by the court to have care and custody of a child or an adult who has been determined by a court to be incapacitated.

How does a court decide when a child will be with mom and when a child will be with dad?

What happens to you and your assets when you pass? Who do you want making decisions for you in the event that you no longer can? What happens to your children if you are no longer able to care for them? Estate planning is the answer.

What happens when parents can’t parent together? We often hear the word “co-parenting” but what does it really mean? Is there an alternative when parents cannot co-parent in the traditional way?