O'Donnell Law Center : Lake of the Ozarks

A trust is an important document that helps make sure your requests are carried out, after you pass. If you have certain wishes as to who should receive each of your assets, establishing a trust at the Lake of the Ozarks might be right for you. Our Lake of the Ozarks law center can help you get your end of life wishes in order. If you already have a trust in place, you may need to make updates or amendments to it. With any life change, it’s important that you view your trust for necessary changes as well. Take a look below for examples of changes in your life that may result in needed updates to your trust. 5 Reasons to Update Your Trust: Change in Marital Status A change in marital status certainly calls for an update to your trust. Whether you are getting married, getting divorced or getting remarried, it’s a good idea to make sure your beneficiaries are up-to-date. If something were to happen to you today, who is designated to receive your assets? If you aren't sure ...

One of our amazing staff members, Teena Harris, will be leaving us soon. We’re excited for Teena to as she begins this new chapter in her life, but we will miss her and the compassion and excellence she demonstrated in our office daily. Take a look below to learn a little more about Teena and her plans for the future. When Teena Joined Our Team: Teena considers herself a “local” here at Lake of the Ozarks. In 2004 her mother moved her sister and herself to Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri, to be closer to family. She later graduated from Camdenton High School in 2010. After graduation, Teena went into the workforce holding positions such as a reservationist, server, and receptionist, eventually going on to manage a winery. After her daughter, Emmalyn, was born, Teena took a year off from work. She reevaluated her career path and decided to pursue her passion for education and work toward becoming an Elementary School teacher. She has recently started her senior year at Central Metho...

When you hit a bump in the road, our Lake of the Ozarks law center is here for you. We know facing a legal issue can be overwhelming and stressful. Here at O’Donnell Law Center , we specialize in helping our clients through their legal issues. Being flexible and adapting to the digital age has helped us in a number of ways. Take a look below to learn a few of the ways our ability to change has impacted our law center in a positive way. Flexible Communication We utilize technology to help us best communicate with our clients. No matter what method you prefer, we can find a way to communicate that works with your unique situation and busy schedule. Text, email, phone call, or even skype are just a few of the technologies we utilize to better serve our clients. We know this is a tough time and we want to ensure we make communicating with your lawyer easy. State-of-the-Art Technology Our software and cloud computing capabilities help to ensure all of our employees are on up to ...

It’s that time of year again. Holiday lights are out and ready for your enjoyment. Our Lake of the Ozarks law firm loves this time of year and we want to share a few of our favorite holiday light parks. It’s a fun way to get out with your family and get into the holiday spirit. If you’re ready to pile in the car and set out on a holiday light tour, take a look below to find out where these spectacular displays are located around the Lake of the Ozarks. Enchanted Village of lights Nov. 16, 2018 - Jan 1, 2019 Laurie Fairgrounds 269 Fairgrounds Road, Laurie, MO 573-374-8776 Open Nightly 5 pm to 9 pm (10 pm weekends) St. Patrick's Festival of Lights Nov 22, 2018 - Jan 2, 2019 Shrine of St. Patrick/ Mother's Shrine 176 Marian Drive, Laurie, MO 573-374-7855 Open Nightly 5 pm to 10 pm Versailles Unity Circle of Lights Nov 21, 2018 - Jan 1, 2019 Versailles City Park Jct Hwy 5 and 52, Versailles, MO 573-378-4634 Open nightly from dusk until midnight Osage ...

With the holiday season upon us, many will be gathering around the table with friends and family. As you do, it’s a great time to think about and discuss the future, and specifically about what will happen with your assets after you pass. It’s best to make a plan before the plan is needed. Our Lake of the Ozarks attorney specializes in helping others plan for their future. There’s a comfort in knowing your estate is taken care of and your assets will go to the beneficiaries of your choosing.  Keep reading to learn how O’Donnell Law Center can help you establish your estate plan. It’s hard to think about end of life and the distribution of all of your assets, but your family will be thankful for the time you spend planning in advance. We serve people living at the Lake of the Ozarks who wish to establish a Trust to keep their assets out of probate.  For many, the probate process turns into a lengthy court proceeding for the loved-ones left behind. It is always a good t...

Divorce is a tough time for everyone involved – especially kids. It can be hard for young children to understand what is happening to their family. It can be difficult for children to process this time as their family dynamic changes. As your divorce attorney in Osage Beach, MO , our law center sees a number of children struggle as their parents get a divorce at the Lake of the Ozarks. We’re here to help parents through the divorce process but we’d also like to help offer advice on how to make this stressful time easier on your kids, as well. 1) Be Honest It’s best to be honest about your divorce with your kids. While they may not need to know all the ugly details, they deserve to know what is going on with their parents. Have an open conversation about your divorce from your spouse and let them know they can ask any questions they may have. Try to answer any questions in an honest and positive manor. 2) Encourage them to Share Feelings You should always encourage your kid...

With today being the day we observe Veterans Day, we thought it was an appropriate time to honor those who’ve given so much for our freedom. As your Lake of the Ozarks attorney , we want to take some time to feature the history of Veterans Day and a few of the ways you can honor this holiday. Take a look below to learn more about this special holiday honoring veterans, provided by O’Donnell Law Center . The History of Veteran’s Day: Originally known as Armistice Day, this holiday was established on November 11th of 1919 – the first anniversary of the end of World War 1. In 1926, Congress passed a resolution to observe this holiday annually. Later it became a national holiday in 1938. In 1968, President Eisenhour officially changed the holiday from Armistice Day to Veterans Day. Aside from common belief, Veterans Day pays tribute to all American veterans – living or those who’ve passed. This day celebrates and gives thanks to veterans who have served their country during war and p...

What will happen to your money after you pass? It’s important to line out your wishes ahead of time to help alleviate stress for your family. Whether you want to leave some assets to your family and make a charitable contribution to an organization with the remainder or donate all of your assets to a beloved non-profit, we can help establish your trust at the Lake of the Ozarks . Here at O’Donnell Law Center , we specialize in walking you through the process to set up a trust, as well as counsel you through it. Is there an organization that is near and dear to your heart? If you’d like to make a contribution to a non-profit or other organization after you pass, we can include that in your trust. Having this type of clear instruction can help reduce the amount of time required for the organization of your choice to receive your contribution and eliminate confusion and uncertainty for family members. People rarely want to think about end of life.  But in order to make it a litt...

Back in 1692 in Salem Massachusetts, many people blamed illness and other misfortunes on witchcraft. They believed the “witches” responsible for the misfortunes should be punished for casting “spells” on people that made them sick or caused other unfortunate circumstances in their lives. A special court was established to help prosecute these “witches”. Over the course of several months, about 150 people were convicted of being possessed by the devil or of practicing witchcraft. Later in the year, the public started to fight the court, realizing these prosecutions were not fair or accurate. Guilty verdicts were later annulled by the Massachusetts General Court. Although these “criminals” had their verdicts removed – there was a bitterness in the community. This painful memory and story has stuck around for centuries – and we’re still talking about it today. Navigating the criminal justice system can be intimidating. If these “witches” would have had representation, this situation...

A family member’s assets going to probate can sound like an intimidating – sometimes scary – process. While it’s not the ideal situation, our Lake of the Ozarks law firm is here to help ease your family through this time. Probate is where your assets will go to be decided who will get what, if the affairs of the deceased have not been decided ahead of time. Not everyone has the opportunity to get their affairs in perfect order before they pass, so sometimes going to probate court is unavoidable.  Probate court can be necessary when there is no will, there is a will and non-probate transfers were insufficient to pass title to your property immediately upon your death, there is a dispute over who your property should go to, or a loved one is in need of a court appointed guardian or conservator. Sometimes a death in the family followed by questions about how the property is going to be distributed triggers intense emotions and disagreements among family members that are akin t...