About Us

How I Use Estate Planning to Help Individuals Gain Peace of Mind

Money and finance have always interested me. After graduating with a degree in finance from a Brigham Young University, I landed a job with one of the largest and best mutual fund companies in the world (the American Funds). Financially, it was rewarding. Professionally, I had bragging rights about working with some of the largest institutional clients in the country – companies investing billions of dollars. Yet, I never got to meet any of my clients. Instead, contact with my clients consisted of sending emails filled with spreadsheets and reports. Don’t get me wrong… I like spreadsheets and reports… yet I also like getting to know people and helping individuals.
I found myself searching for an opportunity where I could make a difference in individual client’s lives. That desire led me to become a lawyer where my primary practice area is estate planning and elder law (wills, trusts, asset protection, medicaid planning, business succession, real estate, etc.). It’s a great area of the law!

I get to help individuals plan for the future – to be intentional about what happens to them, their family, and the property they have worked so hard to earn. My practice is focused on helping individuals achieve “intended consequences” through estate planning. By staying in control and having a plan in place, my clients gain peace of mind by knowing they are not going to waste their money or their loved ones’ time and energy.

Estate Planning Benefits You

Estate planning gives me the opportunity to help “salt-of-the-earth” individuals protect what they have worked hard to earn and make sure their loved ones receive a blessing instead of a mess. (A mess is a situation where your loved ones have to spend time and money going to court to try and organize your affairs.) While I am happy to help clients sort through this mess, it is completely unnecessary. By deciding to organize your own affairs, you can save your loved ones time and money. Whatever you pass onto your loved ones, whether a small or large amount, will be a blessing. The step is simple: create an estate plan. Upon finishing an estate plan, my clients express a sense of relief from doing something they know needs to be done and having it done right.

How My Background in Finance Assists You

As mentioned above, my undergraduate degree is in finance. After college I worked for the American Funds in Irvine, California. In large part because of the prestige associated with working for the American Funds, while at the University of Missouri for law school, I had the unique opportunity to teach finance courses in Mizzou’s business school. By teaching college students, I learned how to better explain complex financial concepts to non-business majors. It is a skill I continue to use. Estate plans can be lengthy. Medicaid applications intimidating. Yet, with my guidance, my clients understand how each part of the plan benefits them.

About Me

I grew up in Cape Girardeau and the majority of my family still lives in the area. As an estate planning lawyer, I have been consulted as a subject matter expert by the Southeast Missourian and KFVS12. I am a Member of Southeast Missouri State University’s Planned Giving Advisory Council and supporter of Southeast’s River Campus.
You can trust my experience to design the right estate plan for you and your loved ones. It will provide you peace of mind and bring you financial benefits as well.

Achievements and Recognition
  • Recipient of CALI Awards for “Appellate Advocacy” and “Professional Responsibility” – University of Missouri
  • Outstanding Instructor – University of Missouri – School of Business
Reported Cases
  • In re: Marriage of Adams. (414 S.W.3d 29). MO Southern District. On appeal, was successful in preserving favorable judgment for client.
  • Morgan v. Wallace. (2014 WL 3557643). US Eastern District. Appointed by US District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh to represent plaintiff.