Veterans receive free estate planning at VA

The Missouri Attorney General’s Office and local attorneys from Poplar Bluff hosted an estate planning workshop for veterans on Oct. 5 at the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center.

The event helped veterans and their spouses prepare estate wills, powers of attorney and living wills at no cost to the recipients, according to a press release.

The workshop was held as part of Missouri’s Military Legal Assistance Team (MLAT), and is a program established by Scotty Allen, assistant attorney general with the Missouri Attorney General’s office. Allen explained the MLAT offers referrals to pro bono attorneys for representation of claims brought under the Servicemembers’ Civil Relief Act (SCRA) and the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA).

The program also combats predatory business practices targeting Missouri’s military communities and provides educational presentations on military consumer protection issues and other civil legal protections for service members.

“The estate planning workshops are open to veterans as well as active-duty personnel,” Allen explained. “We work with volunteer attorneys in each community to set these workshops up and then help as many veterans as we can in one day.”

“I was amazed at how smoothly it all worked,” said local Air Force veteran, Clifford Smith. “We went through a template and the attorney asked a series of questions of me and my wife. Then when we were finished, volunteers were present to sign as witnesses, the attorney notarized the documents and we were all done in just over an hour. I appreciate the attorney general’s office and the attorneys and individuals who volunteered to help so many veterans take care of what would normally be an awkward, expensive and worrisome process.”

Service members who wish to report predatory business practices or request educational presentations may contact the attorney general’s office at 573-751-6733.