Elder Law, Wealth/Asset Management

Christopher Schroeder

Chris is a Wealth Advisor at Claris with over 25 years of wealth management and advisory experience. He serves as a trusted advisor for current and new Claris clients in all aspects of wealth management. Chris has a depth of client advisory experience and helps develop new business and continue the growth of Claris. Claris’s planning-first mentality and role as a fiduciary is important to Chris, and he ensures clients can continue to Understand, Invest and Relax with Claris. Chris holds an MBA from Indiana Wesleyan University and a B.S. in Business, Management and Marketing from Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville.

Peter Palumbo

As an Oppenheimer Financial Professional I align each client’s unique goals, values, and needs with holistic planning and design of investment and insurance strategies. I use an in-depth discovery process that leads to a true understanding of each client’s specific situation, time horizon, and risk tolerance. I focus on growing and protecting the assets of high net worth clients (individuals, families, corporate executives, and businesses), including leveraging the resources and leadership at Oppenheimer to help clients pursue goals and solve complex financial issues.

Steven Gorin

Steven B. Gorin
Partner
Thompson Coburn LLP

Steve is a nationally recognized practitioner in the areas of
estate planning and the structuring of privately held
businesses. Lawyers, accountants and business owners
regularly look to Steve for fresh, highly knowledgeable
insights into the best possible tax and estate planning
approaches to their transactions.

Steve crafts estate plans for individuals, keeping in mind
their financial security and desire to save income and estate
tax. In his work for businesses, Steve helps owners plan for
the eventual sale (to co-owners, employees, or third parties)
or transfer (to family members), and provides a legal
framework for an orderly transition while strategically
saving income, transfer, and FICA taxes.

Drawing on his background as an accountant — and his
still-current CPA license and Chartered Global
Management Accountant credential — Steve structures
businesses to achieve business objectives and save income
or estate tax. He has helped fledgling businesses organize,
thriving businesses restructure to save hundreds of
thousands of dollars of income tax when planning a
transition to the next ownership group, and mature multimillion
or billion-dollar businesses plan tax-saving transfers
to the next generation.

Over the course of his 30-year career, Steve has amassed a
deep knowledge of nearly every aspect of tax strategy for
privately held businesses and freely shares that knowledge
with others in the field. His quarterly newsletter, "Business
Succession Solutions" is considered essential reading for
hundreds of CPAs and attorneys, who describe it as "a
fantastic contribution to the field."

Steve is a highly visible member of the ABA's Real Property,
Trust & Estate Law Section and the American College of
Trust & Estate Counsel, which regularly directs its
members to Steve's quarterly newsletter. He has represented
both groups in comments to the IRS, the U.S. Treasury, and tax lawmakers.

Derek Jess

Derek joined the Plancorp team in 2018 when he and his wife moved to St. Louis from Denver to raise children closer to family. In December 2021, Derek became a Shareholder, marking his commitment to the future growth and success of the firm and the clients they serve.

As a Senior Wealth Manager, Derek helps clients with high income and complex needs navigate through all stages of life. He also specializes in comprehensive wealth management for corporate executive clients, becoming a major resource for the Plancorp team on equity compensation and deferred compensation planning.

Derek is a lifelong learner with an appetite for books that far surpasses the time he makes to read them all. His wife will tell you that he is also (excessively) passionate about Nebraska football and sharing a nice glass of bourbon with friends.

Christine Alsop

Christine A. Alsop, owner of The Elder and Disability Advocacy Firm of Christine A. Alsop, LLC, has extensive experience in elder law, advocacy and litigation. Christine graduated from Valparaiso University School of Law in 1989 where she was honored for her outstanding trial advocacy work. Christine's theatre background provided her with a unique skill in the courtroom. She began her career as a litigation attorney, trying cases before the federal and state courts. She later realized that she wanted to focus on helping those who are elderly and people with disabilities. Christine has been a practicing attorney for the past 26 years and, of those, 13 years have been dedicated to elder law and serving as a true advocate for her clients.

Christine represents institutional and individual fiduciaries, as well as family members, in contested probate, trust, guardianship, conservatorship and fiduciary litigation matters. Additionally, she specializes in the following elder law and special needs planning practice areas: Medicaid Planning, Long-Term Care Planning, Veterans Benefits, Asset Protection, Estate Planning and Special Needs Trusts. Christine's unique approach, experience and advocacy enable her to help families in resolving problems and achieving their long and short-term goals. Christine has been retained to give expert opinions in contested court proceedings involving Medicare Set-Aside Arrangements (MSAs) and Lien Resolution issues.

Christine is licensed to practice in both Missouri and Illinois. She is also admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court. Christine is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) and served as Chair of the Advocacy and Litigation Section for NAELA. She also served on the Board of Directors for the local NAELA chapter. She is a member of the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys (MATA), the Academy of Special Needs Planners (ASNP), the Elder Care Matters Alliance and ElderCounsel. She currently serves as President of the Board of Directors for the Mid-East Area Agency on Aging (MEAAA) and has served on the Board of Directors for MEAAA since 2010. Christine served as the Chair of the Elder Law Committee for the Missouri Bar, as well as served on the Board of Directors for the Down Syndrome Association of Greater St. Louis (DSAGSL). She was also a member of the National Alliance of Medicare Set-Aside Professionals (NAMSAP).

Christine co-taught the Elder Law class at St. Louis University School of Law in the 2012 fall semester. In addition, she authored the Retirement Benefits chapter of the 2015 Supplement to the Missouri Bar Elder Law Second Edition Practice Desk Book.

Christine has written countless articles on elder law and special needs planning topics and is regularly called upon to speak to attorneys, financial advisors, other professionals and members of the community on elder law and advocacy issues. Christine's distinctive ability to simplify the complexities of elder law and special needs planning, coupled with her desire to share her intricate knowledge, makes her an extraordinary attorney, litigator and advocate.

Rusty Fracassa

Rusty brings nearly 30 years legal experience and expertise working for seniors and their families as an elder law attorney. Prior to law school, Rusty was a practicing accountant. This provides invaluable experience in his current practice of law. Rusty decided to put his focus on helping the elderly, vulnerable adults, and their families navigate challenging life, end of life, and death events. Rusty works directly with client’s long term care issues, including Medicaid, Veteran’s Benefits, Estate Planning, Asset Protection, and Special Needs Planning.