Hiring a Guardianship Attorney in Missouri

Estate planning attorneys in Missouri average $328 per hourClio Legal Trends Report 2025Verified Jan 1, 2025 for wills and estates work. Flat-fee packages run roughly $984–$1,968 for a simple individual will and $3,570–$5,355 for a basic revocable trust. Online and DIY services cost $30–$300 for the same documents — see the will cost calculator for a side-by-side comparison.

Missouri allows estates under $40,000 to use a simplified Small Estate Affidavit procedure, which is a form rather than a court case and typically doesn't require an attorney. For larger estates, formal probate is involved enough that retaining counsel is usually practical — the procedural work is what they're there for. Use the Missouri probate calculator to estimate the costs.

In Missouri, the situations where retaining counsel is typically worth the cost are: blended families with children from prior relationships; ownership of a business, rental property, or significant investment assets; special-needs dependents who need a special-needs trust to preserve benefits; substantial property held in multiple states. If none of these describe your situation, the simpler online and DIY tools are often enough.

Missouri is one of a small number of states where probate attorney fees are set by statute as a graduated percentage of the 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; where reasonable compensation exceeds the minimum the court shall allow additional compensation — extraordinary services not required). Per § 473.153(1) the base is personal property administered plus proceeds of court-ordered real property sales; unsold real property is excluded.Verified Jul 14, 2026, rather than billed by the hour or negotiated. On a $500,000 estate the schedule produces about $14,050 in attorney fees — roughly 2.8% — and the effective rate declines as the estate grows. The executor is entitled to a statutory fee on top of that — about $14,050 on the same estate. This is the main reason Missouri families with real estate set up living trusts to stay out of probate entirely.

Start by filtering the directory above by your county and the practice area you need. Look for firms with experience in your specific situation — board certifications in estate planning, trust, or probate law are a strong signal. Most Missouri estate planning attorneys offer an initial consultation; some are free, others charge a flat fee. Ask up front whether the firm bills by the hour or by flat-fee package, and what the expected cost is for your situation.