Estate Planning (Hover over highlighted links for definition of term)

Leonard W. Buckley, Jr., P.C. provides estate planning services to its clients, utilizing instruments such as Beneficiary Designations,  Wills,  Trusts,  Powers of Attorneys,  Medical Directives and the formation of various business entities, such as LLC's and Family Partnerships, to assist you in transferring ownership and control of your real property, personal property, and business interests.

Who will get your property if you die? Who will make your financial and healthcare decisions if you become disabled?  Who will take care of your children if for any reason you are disabled?  Do you want a court making these decisions for you? 

Estate Planning is a very important process for everyone, no matter what their age, family, or financial status.  At Leonard W. Buckley, Jr., P.C. we recognized that everyone's needs are different and we are not in the business of selling financial products or unnecessary trusts or other services.  We work with our clients to ensure that the Estate Plan we develop effectively meets our clients' needs and wishes.  From the most simple beneficiary designations to sophisticated family limited partnerships, our experience will help conform your estate plan to your needs. 

All of our clients' Estate Plans include a Will and Durable Power of Attorney.  In addition, we ensure that our clients effectively use non-probate transfers such as Trusts and Beneficiary Designations to ensure that their heirs can avoid the expense and time required by the Probate process.

Many people have become concerned about how to ensure that their wishes for medical care are carried out, after the highly-publicized case of Terry Schiavo.  A Durable Power of Attorney for Medical Care (or Living Will) will make sure that your family, doctors, and the state know what your wishes are in the event you enter a persistent vegetative state or PVS.  The Missouri Bar publishes a Medical Directive for Healthcare that addresses these issues.  This form is available to the public by the Missouri Bar at no charge.  The previous link will take you to the Missouri Bar's website.  All of our estate planning clients are provided with assistance in obtaining and executing Medical Directives.

Every client's needs are different and sometimes the appropriate Estate Plan requires more sophisticated trusts to address those special needs. For example:

• Many people are concerned about what is going to happen to their business after their death. They have invested both their money and years of hard work in their business. Your estate planning attorney at Leonard W. Buckley, Jr., P.C. will consider all of your business assets and can ensure that control of your business passes to the person or persons you believe is best able to ensure that your business continues to succeed even after your death.
   
• A well structured estate plan should also begin the transfer of ownership in your business even before your death so that there is as little interruption in your business as possible.
   
• Your estate plan should also consider the tax implications of the transfer of your assets or business, especially if your business consists of high value/low basis property, or property you anticipate will appreciate substantially in the future.
   
• If appropriate, your estate plan will provide for additional protection from creditors for yourself or your beneficiaries.
   
• If you're thinking about retiring or just easing your successors into your business, the estate plan we prepare with you may also be used in conjunction with a long term plan of "inter vivos" (or lifetime) transfers of control or ownership of your business.

Because Probate and Estate Planning are sophisticated areas of the law, you should consult with a qualified attorney to ensure that you have an estate plan that meets your needs and is enforceable.  An improperly drafted will, trust, or business arrangement could actually cost you or your heirs more money and time than if you had no estate plan at all.  At Leonard W. Buckley, Jr., P.C., we pride ourselves on assisting our clients in establishing an estate plan that is suited to your needs and that you feel comfortable with.