About The Firm and Roger P. Bernhardt, Esq.
Roger P. Bernhardt, J.D. is Founder and Managing Partner of Bernhardt Law Firm LC. Roger P. Bernhardt, a graduate of Harvard Law School, has the reputation, seasoned experience, and credentials to get the job done right, the first time, and at the right price. Roger’s undergraduate academic career included B.A. Economics, University of Chicago, with Special Honors. Roger P. Bernhardt is rated 5.0 out of 5.0 by Martindale.com, the highest possible rating awarded for legal ability and ethics (AV) [Click Here for their Ratings & Review]. In 2014 The Missouri Bar Association awarded Roger P. Bernhardt, esq. with the designation of “Senior Counselor,” indicating many years of service while in good standing.
Roger P. Bernhardt works with his son, Andrew G. Bernhardt, Paralegal (B.A. Economics, Indiana University) at their principal office in Clayton, which is just a stones throw from Saint Louis County Courthouse.
Location:
ROGER P. BERNHARDT
BERNHARDT LAW FIRM LC
15400 S. Outer Forty, #104
Saint Louis (Chesterfield), Missouri 63017
- Phone: 314-727-2899
- Fax: 314-727-2882
- E-mail: RPBLawMan@aol.com
Quick Facts:
- Born in St. Louis, Missouri. Happily in practice over 40+ years. Married with three adult children; enjoys history, music, dogs and vintage cars.
- Participated in asset purchase involving over 15,000 parcels of real estate, with primary responsibility for the preparation of deeds.
- Has been called upon as an expert witness in several civil cases.
- Earned highest possible rating for legal ability and ethics (AV) from Martindale-Hubbell lawyer rating service.
- “Senior Counselor” designation from the Missouri Bar Association awarded in 2014 indicating many years of service while in good standing.
Areas of Practice
- Probate & Estate Planning
- Our typical Estate Planning Package or scenario and client would have these documents created: A Will, a Trust, a Durable Power of Attorney, a Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare Decisions, Authorization for Protected Healthcare Information Under HIPAA, and Advance Medical Directive; And depending on your circumstances, possibly more documents.
- Probate & Guardianship
- Business Law
- Business Consulting
- Business Formation (“Emerging Businesses”)
- Involving the creation and formation of many organizational types including INC, LC, LLC, Series-LLC, LP, LLP, S-Corp, C-Corp, Cooperatives (Co-Op, Collective, Group), Trust, Corporate Trust, and Non-Profit Corporations such as a 501(c) Organization in Compliance with USC 26 § 501).
- Related Taxation Issues
- Litigation Involving the Validity of Trusts and Wills
- Wills & Trusts
- Advanced Estate Planning Strategies such as including:
- (1) Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts [ILIT], with and without Premium Financing. These are awesome, and have “Seven Characters of the Play” including: The Grantor, the Insured, the Beneficiary, the Trustee, the Agent, the Insurance Arm, and the Bank for Premium Financing. We like to recommend a large, reputable, multinational U.S. based insurance company and its affiliate for the Universal Life Insurance and for their Premium Financing, because the company we recommend will view the Universal Life Insurance Policy (in the ILIT) as collateral for the premium financing, lent to the trust at LIBOR + 150 basis points, which is usually well under the Prime rate, to pay for the premiums. This way no other collateral has to be pledged for the premium financing. Other bank & trust companies may require you to post collateral for the premium financing, and we believe this is totally unnecessary. Contact us about which insurance company we recommend for ILITs and premium financing. ILITs can be used for many reasons including Estate Creation, Estate Conservation, and Estate Preservation. Everyone wants compensation for loss of a loved one. There are many benefits to ILITs, some say “they’re too good to be true.” Click here for more information about ILITs from FindLaw.com.
- And (2) Corporate Trusts, including Self Directed Defined Benefit and/or Defined Contribution (Roth or Traditional) 401(K) Qualified Retirement Plans [Self Directed 401K QRP]. These get deep into ERISA law, a branch of law involving tax deferred trusts. These 401k QRP accounts are similar to IRAs, but we believe they have major advantages and are better. These 401k QRP accounts can trade stocks, options, and fixed income, etc. on a tax deferred basis (like IRAs), but these 401K QRP accounts can also trade Real Estate, making both capital gains and/or rental income tax deferred, while also allowing for the use of Secondary Commercial Equity Line of Credit Loans, for leverage, while also having significantly higher annual contribution limits ($50,000 annually for singles, and $100,000 annually for married couples). We believe these 401K QRP accounts have major advantages to Traditional and Roth IRA accounts.
- Trust Administration & Management
- Family Law
- Elder Law
- Prenuptials
- Child Custody Determinations
- Adoptions
- Dissolution
- Real Estate
- Criminal Defense
- Social Security Claims & Appeals
- Traffic
Bar Admissions
- Missouri, 1964
- U.S. Court of Appeals 8th Circuit, 1967
- U.S. Tax Court, 1965
Education
- HARVARD UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL, Cambridge, Massachusetts
- J.D. – 1964 (Full Academic Scholarship)
- UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO, Chicago, Illinois
- B.A. – 1961 (Full Academic Scholarship)
- Honors: With Honors, Special Honors in Economics
Professional Associations and Memberships
- St. Louis County Bar Association of Metro St. Louis, Member
- Missouri Bar Association, admitted to practice ’64, admitted ’88 to Probate & Trust Committee, Member
- American Bar Association, Section on Taxation, Member
- Admitted to U.S. Tax Court
- Estate Planning Council Bar Association, Member
Past Employment Positions
- Bernhardt Law Firm LC 2012-Present
- Partner. Primary work in Estate Planning and Probate, Wills & Trusts, Guardianship, Business Formation, Prenuptials, Real Estate, and Traffic.
- Bernhardt & Wichmer, P.C. 1999-2012
- Partner. Primary work in Estate Planning and Probate.
- Danna McKitrick, P.C. 1991-1999
- Partner with principal responsibility in estate planning and probate, and related litigation.
- Portman, Bernhardt, Kessler & Black 1983-1991
- Partner. Responsibility in estate planning and probate work, business financing, pension, and related tax work.
- Bryan, Cave, McPheeters & McRoberts 1971-1983
- Elected Partner in 1975. extensive experience in banking, real estate, and estate planning and probate. Assigned as “in-house” counsel to Centerre Bank for 3 ½ years.
- Shepley, Kroeger & Hecker, and successors 1964-1971
- Partner. General civil practice with emphasis in business and estate planning. Major project- represented seller in asset sale of largest private landowner in United States
- Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Summers 1961, 1962 & 1963
- One summer in economic research department and two summers in legal department working with G.T. Dunne and F.G. Russell, principally on UCC matters.
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