Bob Hodgdon Praises Van Osdol & Magruder, P.C., The Biggest Little Law Firm(R) in Kansas City, for Estate & Succession Planning

KANSAS CITY, MO--(Marketwire - Nov 1, 2011) - Bob Hodgdon, owner, treasurer and board member of Hodgdon Powder Company, Inc., a major distributor of smokeless gun powder, praised Van Osdol & Magruder, The Biggest Little Law Firm® in Kansas City, for estate and succession planning (www.vomer.com).

Hodgdon Powder Company (www.hodgdon.com) is one of the nation's leading providers of gunpowder for reloaders all over the world. Mr. Hodgdon said that without proper planning, the death of a major stockholder could create a serious financial issue for the company as well as to that owner's family. "Mindy Ward, who is our direct contact at Van Osdol & Magruder, has been part of the planning process and has been extremely responsive by providing legal documents on a timely basis after the need is established," said Hodgdon. "She obviously has a wealth of knowledge and experience with small business people as well as their unique needs in the estate planning process. Janie (Bob's wife) and I are especially grateful to be able to deal with her on a direct basis without having each contact broken down into minutes for billing purposes."

Ward, a partner at Van Osdol & Magruder, said it has been a pleasure working with Mr. Hodgdon and reiterated the importance of estate planning for small businesses. "You cannot begin too early in the estate planning process. The nice thing about estate planning is it is just that -- planning. By starting early, this allows you to tailor your plan as your life circumstances change," said Ward. "Additionally, Van Osdol & Magruder has more than 70 years of experience representing small businesses and is well qualified to help integrate estate plans with business succession planning."

Ward added that costs can be an inhibiting factor, but this type of legal work is generally not as costly as most people think. "It can often be more costly not to plan. If you are married, have children or a small business, planning is terribly important. Singles are actually some of the hardest to plan for, but it is an important process for these folks as well. I tell my clients that they have a right to plan for the transfer of their assets at death, but they have to exercise that right. If they do not, the government (state and federal) will decide for them," said Ward.

Van Osdol & Magruder, P.C. is located in Downtown Kansas City, Mo. Trademarked as The Biggest Little Law Firm® in Kansas City, the firm focuses on maximizing value for its clients while remaining mindful of legal expenses (www.vomer.com).