Serves Warren, Lincoln, Montgomery, St. Charles, and Franklin counties from Warrenton and Washington. Handles Missouri probate (proving the will, resolving claims, paying debts, filing tax returns, distributing assets) and guides trustees of a decedent's trust through notices and asset sales. Brian and Nicole Mense focus exclusively on estate planning, elder law, and long-term care.
Washington is in Franklin County.
Probate in Franklin County
Probate Court Record
Franklin County Circuit Court - Probate Division
Franklin County · 20th Judicial Circuit
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Office
401 East Main Street, Union, MO 63084
Website
Files probate
Probate Department
E-filing
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
How to file probate in Franklin County →
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Do I need a lawyer for probate in Franklin County? →Settling an estate in Franklin County →
Forms for Planning Your Estate in Missouri
Free forms for planning your estate in Missouri: will, living trust, pour-over will, powers of attorney and TOD deed. Prepare each form for Missouri.
$12/month
Revocable Living Trust
Create a revocable living trust to avoid probate, protect privacy, and control asset distribution.
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Free
Pour-Over Will
In Missouri, a pour-over will is signed before 2RSMo § 474.320Verified Oct 18, 2026View source witnesses and moves anything left outside the trust into it through probate.
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Free
Transfer on Death Deed
In Missouri, a beneficiary deed is signed before a notaryRSMo 461.003 to 461.081Verified Oct 18, 2026View source, then recorded with the county before the owner's deathRSMo 461.003 to 461.081Verified Oct 18, 2026View source. Missouri does not recognize a Lady Bird deed.
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Free
Last Will and Testament
In Missouri, a will is signed before 2RSMo § 474.320Verified Oct 18, 2026View source witnesses, and a self-proving affidavit signed with it lets the court admit it without witness testimonyRSMo § 474.320Verified Oct 18, 2026View source.
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Tools for Planning Your Estate in Missouri
Free tools for planning your estate in Missouri: will and trust costs, trust or TOD deed, and the signing rules. Run each tool for Missouri and read its answer.
Trust or Will: Which Costs Less?
In Missouri, a will-based plan pays probate attorney fees set by statute as a percentage of the gross estateRSMo § 473.153(3) (statutory minimum: 5% first $5K, 4% next $20K, 3% next $75K, 2.75% next $300K, 2.5% next $600K, 2% over $1M); § 473.153(1) (base: personal property administered)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source; a funded revocable trust keeps those assets out of probate and off that fee.
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How Much Does a Revocable Living Trust Cost?
An attorney-prepared revocable living trust in Missouri runs $3,570Estimate: 10 hours at $357, Clio's Missouri Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source to $5,355Estimate: 15 hours at $357, Clio's Missouri Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source for an individual, against $0 to $549 up front plus a subscription with an online service.
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Do I Need a TOD Deed?
Missouri authorizes transfer on death deedsRSMo 461.003 to 461.081Verified Oct 17, 2026View source: a recorded, revocable deed that passes real property at death outside probate.
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Are My Beneficiary Designations Protected?
Missouri automatically revokes an ex-spouse as beneficiary at divorceMo. Rev. Stat. § 461.051Verified Sep 15, 2026View source; employer plans under ERISA follow federal rules either way, so a 401(k) beneficiary changes only by a new designation.
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