Practice Areas
- Trusts & Estates
- Asset & Divorce Protection Planning
- Charitable Planning
- Corporate Fiduciary Representation
- Estate, Gift & Fiduciary Income Tax Return Preparation
- Estate, Gift & Income Tax Planning
- Estate Planning
- Family Business & Succession Planning
- Prenuptial & Postnuptial Agreements
- Probate & Trust Administration
- Trusts & Estates Litigation
Industries
Admissions
- Missouri
- Illinois
Education
J.D., University of Missouri School of Law, Missouri Law Review
B.S., Business Administration, University of Missouri - Columbia
Profile
Keith Herman focuses his practice on tax planning, creditor and divorce protection and estate and trust administration.
As many of Keith’s high-net-worth clients have closely held businesses and private foundations, he often provides advice on matters relating to these entities, including the transition of a business to the next generation. He has extensive experience with retirement account planning, asset protection, divorce protection and family-owned business succession planning. Keith works with several multi-generational families on preserving their wealth and educating younger family members, including representing family offices.
Keith represents individual and corporate trustees with respect to all aspects of their fiduciary duties and the trust administration process, including trust litigation. He also represents individuals on their rights as beneficiaries of trusts.
As part of his practice, Keith also has experience with gift tax audits, estate tax audits and premarital agreements. He has been retained as an expert with respect to the marital property characterization of trust assets and trust distributions.
In addition to being an elected fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, Keith is also an adjunct professor at the Washington University School of Law, teaching Family Wealth Management I and Family Wealth Management II. He is also certified as a Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) by the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, an international organization for attorneys and other advisors who focus on family inheritance and succession planning.
Professional Affiliations
- American Bar Association, Real Property, Probate & Trust Law Section
- American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, Fellow
- Missouri Bar Association, Probate & Trust Law Committee
- Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, Tax Section, Vice Chair; Probate & Trust Law Steering Committee
- Estate Planning Council of St. Louis
- American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, Employee Benefits in Estate Planning Committee
- Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners
Community/Civic Activities
- St. Louis Public Library Foundation, Planned Giving Advisory Council
Honors & Awards
Honors & Awards
- Chambers High Net Worth Guide, 2019-2022
- The Best Lawyers in America, Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law, 2023-2024; Trusts and Estates, 2018-2024, St. Louis area Trusts and Estates Lawyer of the Year, 2023
- St. Louis Magazine, Top Accounting & Estate Planning Professionals in St. Louis for Exceptional Service & Overall Satisfaction, March 2014
- Probate & Property, Excellence in Writing Award, Best Overall Article – Probate & Trust, “Coordinating Retirement Accounts with Estate Planning 101 (What Every Estate Planner Needs to Know)," 2006
Experience
Representative Matters
- Implemented the full range of sophisticated tax planning techniques for clients, including rolling short-term grantor retained annuity trusts (GRATs), installment sales, family limited partnerships, corporate restructurings, buy-sell agreements, split dollar arrangements, dynasty trusts, asset protection trusts, conduit trusts for retirement plans, special needs trusts, insurance trusts and discount planning.
- Planned and implemented charitable remainder trusts, charitable lead trusts, private foundations, gifts of remainder interests in a home, charitable gift annuities and other planned gifts.
- Drafts a variety of estate planning documents, including revocable trusts, wills, powers of attorneys, split dollar agreements, Crummey trusts, 2503(c) trusts, 2642(c) trusts, irrevocable grantor trusts, GRATs, charitable lead trusts, charitable remainder trusts, life insurance trusts, partnership agreements, limited liability operating agreements, S corporation documents, shareholder restriction agreements, voting trusts, buy-sell agreements, sale documents and private foundation documents.
- Advises on a number of large generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax grandfathered trusts.
- Prepares and reviews estate tax returns, gift tax returns, fiduciary income tax returns and private foundation returns (Forms 706, 709, 1041, and 990-PF).
News & Insights
News
- August 17, 2023
- July 20, 2023
- August 18, 2022
- July 14, 2022
- August 19, 2021
- July 22, 2021
- August 20, 2020
- August 15, 2019
- August 2018
- 2017
- Interview with Keith Herman, "Mega Millions lottery jackpot hits $540 million"KSDK.com, March 29, 2012
- October 31, 2011
Seminars & Speaking Engagements
- NAIFA, Des Peres Lodge, November 19, 2019
- Greensfelder's Annual Estate Planning Symposium, St. Louis, MO, November 7, 2019
- Annual Greater St. Louis Financial Symposium, St. Louis, Missouri, April 25, 2019
- "Best Planning Ideas for 2018"Greensfelder's 2018 Estate Planning Symposium, St. Louis, MO, November 1, 2018
- Greensfelder Estate Planning Seminar, Missouri Athletic Club West, St. Louis, Missouri, May 9, 2018
- BAMSL 29th Annual Trust & Estate Planning Institute, May 3, 2018
- Greater St. Louis Financial Symposium, hosted by: The FPA of Greater St. Louis, NAIFA St. Louis and Society of Financial Service Professionals Greater St. Louis, April 26, 2018
- 2017 Greensfelder Estate Planning Symposium, November 2, 2017
- ACTEC 2017 Heart of America Meeting, Bentonville, Arkansas, April 21-23, 2017
- Making the Most of Your Year-End GiftingGreensfelder Estate Planning Seminar, November 3, 2016
- “Current Developments in Estate Planning"American Red Cross Professional Advisors Seminar, May 18, 2016
- 2015 Greensfelder Estate Planning Seminar, November 19, 2015
- “Recent Developments in Estate Planning for Retirement Assets”Missouri Bar Annual Estate & Trust Institute, September 2015
- 25th Annual Estate Planning Institute, April 23, 2014
- "Naming Trusts as Beneficiaries of Retirement Plans, 2014 Tax Update"Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, January 2014
- "Recent Developments in Retirement Benefit Planning"Missouri Bar Annual Estate & Trust Institute, October 2013
- American College of Trust and Estate Counsel 2012 Mo-Kan Meeting, Kansas City, MO, December 8, 2012
- "Estate Planning for Retirement Assets: Taxation and Other Challenges"Strafford Webinars and Teleconferences, November 1, 2011
- NBI Teleconference, August 18, 2011
- University of Missouri-Kansas City Estate Planning Internship Program, October 22, 2010
- "Protecting Trust Assets From a Beneficiary's Divorce"University of Missouri - Kansas City Estate Planning Internship Program, October 22, 2010
- "Current Issues in Estate Planning for Retirement Benefits"MoBar Annual Estate & Trust Institute, September 2010
- MOKAN, Midwest Trust and Financial Services Conference, Overland Park, KS, May 5-7, 2010
- Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis 20th Annual Estate Planning Institute, April 23, 2009
- "Estate Planning for Retirement Benefits"Missouri Bar Annual Estate & Trust Institute, September-October 2008
- "Protecting Trust Assets From a Beneficiary's Divorce"Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis 19th Estate Planning Annual Institute, April 24, 2008
- "Coordinating Retirement Plans and Estate Planning"Missouri Bar/Missouri Judicial Conference Annual Meeting, September 27, 2007
- "Asset Protection Planning With Trusts"AG Edwards Trust and Estates Forum, June 15, 2007
- Red Cross Charitable Legislative Update, May 3, 2007
- Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis 8th Annual Estate Planning Institute, April 26, 2007
- "Planning For Distribution From IRAs and Retirement Plans"Missouri Bar Annual Estate & Trust Institute, September-October 2006
- "An Attorney's Guide to Asset Protection"National Business Institute, September 12, 2006
- "Asset Protection for the Estate Planner"Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, November 1, 2005
Publications
Articles & Books
- Journal of the Missouri Bar, July/August 2019
- Bogert’s The Law of Trusts and Trustees, Thomson Reuters, 2017
- The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel Law Journal, Winter 2014
- St. Louis Business Journal, October 2012
- Journal of the Missouri Bar, January/February 2012
- Journal of the Missouri Bar, September/October 2007
- "Coordinating Retirement Accounts with Estate Planning"The Advanced Underwriting Service, January 2007
- GP Solo, American Bar Association, Vol. 23, No. 6, September 2006
- Journal of The Missouri Bar, pp. 196-204, July/August 2006
- Probate & Property, Vol. 20 No. 1 edition, page 52, January/February 2006
- "Creditor Protection Issues Arising With Missouri Trusts"Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, Asset Protection for the Estate Planner, Fall 2005
- St. Louis Lawyer, May 2004
- The St. Louis Bar Journal, Fall 2003
Newsletters
- Greensfelder Trusts & Estates Newsletter, August 2017
- Greensfelder Trusts & Estates Newsletter, November 2014
- Greensfelder Trusts & Estates Newsletter, Fall 2013
- Greensfelder Trusts & Estates Newsletter, July 2012
- March 5, 2012
- Greensfelder Trusts & Estates Newsletter, October 2011
- Greensfelder Trusts & Estates Newsletter, October 2011
- Greensfelder Trusts & Estates Newsletter, Winter 2010
- Greensfelder Trusts & Estates Newsletter, August 6, 2008
- Greensfelder Trusts & Estates Newsletter, 2006
- Greensfelder Trusts & Estates Newsletter, Fall 2005
- Greensfelder Trusts & Estates Newsletter, Fall 2004
- Greensfelder Trusts & Estates Newsletter, Summer 2004
- "Strangi III - The (IRS) Empire Strikes Back"Greensfelder Trusts & Estates Newsletter, Winter 2004
- Greensfelder Trusts & Estates Newsletter, August 1, 2003
- Greensfelder Trusts & Estates Newsletter, 2003
- Greensfelder Trusts & Estates Newsletter, Summer 2003
- Greensfelder Trusts & Estates Newsletter, Winter 2002
- Greensfelder Trusts & Estates Newsletter, July 1, 2001
Blog Posts
- Preservation | Family Wealth Protection & Planning, October 27, 2020
- Preservation | Family Wealth Protection & Planning, December 11, 2019
- Preservation | Family Wealth Protection & Planning, August 27, 2019
- Preservation | Family Wealth Protection & Planning, November 26, 2018
- Preservation | Family Wealth Protection & Planning, April 27, 2018
- Preservation | Family Wealth Protection & Planning, March 1, 2018
- Preservation | Family Wealth Protection & Planning, January 31, 2018
- Preservation | Family Wealth Protection & Planning, December 20, 2017
- Preservation | Family Wealth Protection & Planning, August 23, 2016
- Preservation | Family Wealth Protection & Planning, May 4, 2016