Grief Counseling Columbia, MO: Your Care Team- Interviewing an Elder Law Attorney
Grief Counseling Columbia, MO
Having great grief counseling Columbia, MO can make a big difference. Other professionals provide services that can help you reduce your anxiety and depression in other ways. My name is Jerry Kiesling and I am a grief therapist in Columbia, MO. I’m starting a series interviewing specialists that might be part of your team for supporting yourself or in helping you in your role as a caregiver. Today, I’ll be introducing you to an attorney in Columbia, MO that specializes in Elder Law.
Joe Langworthy, Elder Law Attorney Columbia, MO
Joe Langworthy – Associate Attorney - Among other areas, Joe focuses on Elder Law in Columbia, MO, with Cripps & Simmons
Joe is a 2021 graduate of the University of Missouri School of Law. He first joined Cripps & Simmons in the Spring of 2021 as a law clerk while finishing up his degree. Joe officially became an associate attorney at the firm after passing the bar exam in July 2021, receiving his license to practice law, and being sworn in at a private ceremony. Joe was born and raised here in Columbia and is a graduate of David H. Hickman High School. He comes from a family of attorneys, as his paternal grandfather and namesake practiced law in St. Louis for many years. Both his father and younger brother are currently attorneys as well. The law degree was actually Joe’s third degree from the University of Missouri, as he graduated with both a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management and a Master of Business Administration degree as well. Joe enjoys spending time with his wife, Anna (who is a nurse here in town), watching Mizzou/St. Louis sports and participating/volunteering at The Crossing Church.
Who and why should someone use an Elder Law Attorney in Columbia, MO?
I like to think that our main goal at Cripps & Simmons is to provide people with comfort. Whether that is peace of mind from knowing that you will be taken care of when you can no longer take care of yourself or the comfort that comes from knowing that your estate will be handled in the way you want after you pass on, we love helping people attain or regain a sense of control over their affairs. One of the most gratifying parts of this job is seeing people relax after they sign their estate planning documents – almost as if a literal weight has been lifted off their shoulders.
Why did you decide to work as an Elder Law Attorney in Columbia, MO?
I am a lifelong Columbia resident – I was born at Boone Hospital, went to Hickman High School, and have three degrees from the University of Missouri – this is my home, and I absolutely love our community here. I come from a family of attorneys – my grandfather was an attorney in St. Louis for many years, my father is an attorney here in town, and my younger brother is an attorney in Minnesota. So when I was deciding what career to pursue, I wanted a job where I could provide for my family while giving back some to this town, and the law, more specifically estate planning, seemed like an obvious fit.
What kind of services do you provide as an Elder Law Attorney?
Our firm specializes in estate planning, elder law, and probate matters – things like wills, trusts, powers of attorney, business succession planning, Medicaid planning, tax planning, guardianships/conservatorships, and post-death estate/trust administration.
How does your service help seniors with anxiety, depression, and grief?
One of both the best and worst parts of this job is seeing people at their lowest. I regularly visit with seniors whose spouse has just passed, and they are unsure of what to do next. Many times, they do not even know what questions to ask. It breaks my heart to see how much grief they are experiencing, but I love that I get to help them walk through those difficult times, figure out a plan for moving forward with their affairs, and develop ways to make their own estate planning more efficient so that they can rest comfortably, knowing that their family will be taken care of when their time comes.
What kind of people do you love working with?
This answer will be a bit counterintuitive to the point of the blog, but I think my absolute favorite clients are young families with young kids. I am always so excited to work with them, knowing that they are being proactive and building a great foundation for the future by taking care of their estate planning early on in their life. But I think my next favorite are the seniors that come in and are worried that they have waited too long to get their estate planning done. They are worried about the future, usually not for themselves, but for their families. I love getting to talk them through the estate planning process, assuring them that as long as they still have the capacity, they are not too late.
What happens during the first appointment with you?
During the “initial consultation” at our firm, I start by trying to get to know the potential client. I want to know what they want, what they are worried about, how they think they need to proceed, and what goals they want to accomplish. I want to know about their family situation. Do their kids get along? Do they have a kid that they trust more than the others? Is there a lingering issue that might cause friction in the future? I want to know it all. Once we get through all that, we will discuss the potential client’s options and what type of estate plan makes sense for their situation. That initial consultation is always free, and there is no obligation to continue working with me. But if the potential client decides to remove that “potential” part, we will go over expected costs and fees, which vary depending on the solution we come up with for their situation. I try to be as transparent as possible when it comes to costs.
What do you wish people knew about services with you?
I think the biggest thing that I wish people understood about estate planning is that EVERYONE should have an estate plan. These documents that we write are NOT just for seniors, the sick or disabled, or rich people. Powers of attorney are vital, trusts do not have a dollar threshold, and wills can prevent many headaches for your family, regardless of your age, health, or wealth.
How can people contact you to learn more about you and Elder Law in Columbia, Missouri?
People can feel free to visit our website to learn more about the services we offer. If I may, I would suggest the Estate Planning 101 blog series that I am currently writing. And if anyone would like to set up an appointment to meet with me, they can contact our office by email or phone.
Website: www.crippsandsimmons.com
Email: info@crippsandsimmons.com
Phone: Phone: (573) 447-3355
