No one wants to pay taxes, especially estate taxes.  Thankfully, the federal estate tax exemption has increased to a level that allows most people to avoid federal estate taxes or at least to utilize sophisticated estate planning techniques to minimize them.  As a result of the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of… read more

Extensive changes in Missouri’s Guardianship and Conservatorship statutes went into effect on August 28, 2018.  If you are currently serving as a Guardian or Conservator in Missouri, or if you may be applying to become a Guardian or Conservator in Missouri, these laws will likely impact you.  Contact the attorneys at Murphy, Taylor, Siemens &… read more

On Tuesday, September 4, 2018, the Western District of the Missouri Court of Appeals affirmed and upheld a nearly $4 million jury verdict secured by MTSE lawyers on behalf of Thomas and Dana Tubbs against BNSF Railway. The lawsuit against BNSF stemmed from the 2011 flood of the Missouri river that inundated much of the… read more

Vacation season is in full swing, and many families will be traveling together to places near and far.  But what about those trips you take without the kids, a nice getaway with the just the adults?  While you have planned for the children’s care while you are gone, do you know what will happen if… read more

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passed in December 2017 included changes to all areas of the tax code, including estate and gift tax. The estate and gift tax exemption amount for 2018 through 2025 was increased to $10 million, which is indexed for inflation up to $11.2 million.  This means that for 2018, the… read more

Thinking of selling your home? This is a major financial decision and one in which you will want to ensure that you maximize profits and minimize costs. If you’ve been involved in the home buying process before, you probably already know that hiring a realtor, while valuable, can be expensive. Realtors provide many benefits to… read more

Many of the changes to the tax law brought about by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will only impact your tax filings for the 2018 tax year.  While those changes should be considered now and throughout 2018, there are a few changes that were retroactive for the 2017 tax year. One of those changes… read more

There is a common misconception that Missouri is a “no fault” divorce state. In Missouri, a court must find that there is no reasonable likelihood that a marriage can be preserved and that it is irretrievably broken. In order for a marriage to be irretrievably broken, the spouse filing for divorce (sometimes called a “petitioner”)… read more

Just last week, the Supreme Court of Missouri in Brainchild Holdings, LLC v. Cameron held that a tenant has a right to a jury trial in rent and possession cases. Prior to that decision, rent and possession cases were handled in a streamlined manner with only a bench trial before an associate circuit court judge…. read more

As part of the divorce process, the court must define the custodial arrangement between the parents.  A custodial arrangement is a determination of where the child will reside, who they will reside with, and how often and for how long they will see the other parent.  In making this determination courts in Missouri consider several… read more