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

There has been a lot of talk in the news lately regarding the Federal Estate Tax, and more specifically, the potential abolishment of it.  But, do you need to worry about the Federal Estate Tax? As the tax law currently stands, the Federal Estate Tax is levied on individual decedent’s estates that are in excess… read more

It’s been over a year since House Bill 1550 impacting custody became the law in Missouri.  Yet there continues to be a lot of confusion surrounding exactly what the new law means. The most common misconception is that both parents are now entitled to equal parenting time. It’s important to distinguish between joint custody and… read more

If you’re a corporate client of MTSE, you might remember getting a complimentary letter from us in the summer of 2016 detailing the Obama administration’s impending dramatic changes to the Fair Labor Standard Act’s (FLSA) white-collar overtime exemption. That rule was supposed to take effect on December 1, 2016.  Then you may remember a communication… read more

  A decision has been made—one which has thrown you on the path of divorce—placing you in unfamiliar circumstances and causing you to be unsure of not only the future, but the process itself.  To help, here are some common steps you may experience along the way: 1. The Petition and Summons The Petition, filed… read more