As practice chair, Steve brings critical experience to the Trust and Estates practice and is well-equipped to deal with a variety of estate and business matters. Steve’s practice focuses on estate planning, including health care documents, powers of attorney, wills and trusts, as well as business succession planning, inheritance and estate tax planning, and related tax return preparation. He routinely represents high net worth individuals and families on a variety of sensitive and complex estate and business planning matters.

Steve also assists with the administration of decedents' estates and the administration of trusts, including dispute resolution related to such administration. His estate planning practice includes the incorporation of certain sophisticated estate planning techniques, including lifetime gifting and legacy transfers, family limited partnerships, grantor trusts, charitable trusts, the use of irrevocable life insurance trusts and other trusts.

Steve actively serves as legal counsel and advisor to numerous closely-held businesses, advising them regarding various corporate matters, including the creation and development of business succession plans.

Prior to law school, Steve practiced as a Certified Public Accountant for seven years.

Education

  • Kansas State University (B.S.)
    • University of Kansas School of Law (J.D.)

      Bar Admission

      • Kansas
      • Missouri

      Professional Affiliations

      • The Missouri Bar
      • Johnson County Bar Association
      • Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association
      • Eastern Kansas Estate Planning Council
      • Estate Planning Society of Kansas City, Missouri

      Civic and Charitable Affiliations

      • Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas
        • Board of Directors, 2006-­2012, 2020-Present
        • Executive Committee, 2008-­2010, 2020-Present
        • Treasurer and Finance Committee, Chair, 2008-­2010
      • Kansas City Symphony – Planned Giving Advisory Council

      Recognition

      • Selected for inclusion in Missouri Lawyers Media's POWER list for Top Missouri Tax and Real Estate Lawyers, 2025
      • Selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America® for Trusts and Estates, 2025-2026
      • AV® Preeminent™ rating by Martindale-Hubbell
      • Selected for inclusion in Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers
      • Certified Public Accountant (inactive)
      Publications
      Federal Estate and Gift Tax Changes in 2026: What is on the Horizon, or Sunset Rather?
      In 2017, the federal gift and estate tax exemption was $5.49 million1. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 doubled the gift and estate tax exemption amount to $11.18 million in 2018, and that amount has been adjusted for inflation every year and has steadily increased. However, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 has a “sunset” provision, meaning the higher gift and estate tax exemption expires in 2025. That will result in a decrease in the gift and estate tax exemption to $5,000,000 in 2026, which will be adjusted for inflation going back to 2018, and is predicted to be slightly above $7,000,000. Congress would have to pass new legislation for the gift and estate tax exemption to
      Read More
      Estate Planning During Periods of Inflation and Market Volatility
      Earlier this year the stock market entered bear market territory.  This happens when the market declines more than 20% or more from its most recent high.  The market decline has been attributed to several factors including inflation, interest rate increases, the looming coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and the tragic war in Ukraine.  This unsettling environment is changing the dynamic of estate planning and creates new opportunities for high-net worth individuals to take advantage of wealth transfer strategies such as the following: Qualified Personal Residence Trust.  As interest rates rise, a Qualified Personal Residence Trust (a “QPRT”) is a particularly beneficial estate planning tool.  A QPRT permits you to gift your personal residence (or secondary home) to a trust for the benefit of
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