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Overview

When planning individual and business wealth goals, McKinley is known for treating clients as if they were his own friends and family.

McKinley is known for his caring approach in handling the estate and business succession plans of high-net-worth individuals, families, entrepreneurs and nonprofits. Appreciated as a close listener, what McKinley most enjoys is meeting with clients to hear their professional and personal background, who a couple trusts to handle their affairs, and any specific charitable interests of clients. Once McKinley fully understands the goals of each client, he works to ensure transitions can be carried out in the most practical and comprehensive manner possible.

McKinley drafts a broad range of customized planning documents and assists with post-death administration at the estate and trust levels. He helps clients prepare Federal estate tax returns and Federal gift tax returns, with asset protection planning in mind. He is adept at customizing plans such as special needs trusts, guardianships and conservatorships as well as establishing limited liability companies, corporations and partnerships.

Industry

Services

Recognition

  • Heart of America Fellows Institute, Fellows of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), Class II
  • Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers, Business & Corporate, Rising Star, 2023

Education

  • J.D., University of Arkansas School of Law
    • cum laude
    • University of Arkansas Law Review, Articles Editor
    • Sports and Entertainment Law Treasurer
    • Phi Alpha Delta
  • B.S., Harding University
    • Public Administration
    • magna cum laude
    • Baseball team
    • Alpha Chi

Admissions

  • Missouri
  • Kansas

Professional Memberships and Certifications

  • The Missouri Bar
  • Kansas Bar Association
  • Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association (KCMBA)
Experience

Wealth, Tax, Trust, and Estate Planning and Administration

  • Drafted trust and estate planning documents, including living trusts, irrevocable insurance trusts, intentionally defective grantor trusts, spousal lifetime access trusts, charitable lead trusts and charitable remainder trusts.
  • Drafted nonjudicial settlement agreements and probate pleadings to modify or terminate irrevocable trusts.
  • Designed and implemented prenuptial and postnuptial agreements.

Estate and Trust Administration/Probate

  • Counseled professional and nonprofessional administrators of trusts and estates on fiduciary duties.
  • Assisted with probate and trust administration, fiduciary income tax returns and accountings.
  • Assisted with post-death administration at estate and trust levels, including funding subtrusts, including qualified subchapter S trust (QSST) and electing small business trust (ESBT) elections.

Business/Corporate Planning

  • Formed entities, including limited liability companies, corporations and partnerships.
  • Developed and structured exit strategies that maximized client's goals and objectives.
  • Helped clients devise effective and practical business succession plans.
  • Prepared buy-sell agreements, family business plans, purchase and sale agreements, asset purchase agreements, stock purchase agreements, promissory notes and leveraged buyout plans.

Asset Protection Planning

  • Routinely advised clients on strategies for protecting assets from loss, risk and exposure, both during life and after death. Tools used include asset protection trusts, irrevocable trusts, limited liability companies, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, and insurance planning.

Special Needs Planning

  • Advised clients on use of special needs trusts and guardianships and conservatorships.
  • Prepared special needs trusts, testamentary special needs trusts, Medicaid payback trusts and other discretionary trusts.
Outside the Office

Having played baseball through college, McKinley enjoys the teamwork of sports.

Sports has always been a big part of McKinley’s life. He credits years of baseball for lessons about collaboration, healthy competition and knowing how to de-stress. McKinley also enjoys running and golfing.

Community Leadership
  • Big Brothers Big Sisters Kansas City, 2019-present