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Home→Tools→State Estate Planning Guides→Missouri

How Does Estate Planning Work in Missouri?

Your complete Missouri estate planning overview: probate costs, will execution requirements, trust rules, and what happens if you die without a plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Missouri has statutory probate fees set by law as a percentage of the gross estate value — about $31,315 all-in on a $500,000 estate. Estates with personal property under $40,000 may qualify for Small Estate Affidavit.

Simple estates in Missouri typically take 6-12 months through probate. Complex or contested estates can take 1-3 years. A revocable trust avoids probate entirely.

Missouri has adopted the Uniform Trust Code and does not require witnesses for trust execution. Notarization is not required for validity, though many financial institutions require notarized trust documents. The successor trustee can publish Missouri's optional creditor notice to shorten the claim window to 6 months; without it, the settlor's creditors have up to 12 months to bring a claim.

Missouri offers remote online notarization (RON) for estate planning documents and transfer-on-death deeds to pass real estate without probate. These tools, combined with revocable trusts and beneficiary designations, provide multiple ways to transfer assets without probate.

A healthcare power of attorney in Missouri requires 2 witnesses and notarization to be valid. A financial power of attorney requires notarization. A financial power of attorney is not durable by default — it must include specific durability language to survive incapacity.

In Missouri, the executor must file an inventory of the estate's assets within 30 days of appointment. A revocable trust skips the court-supervised inventory entirely, so a trustee distributes assets without filing one.

In Missouri, divorce automatically revokes a beneficiary designation that names a former spouse on covered accounts, so the asset does not pass to the ex-spouse unless the designation is renewed after the divorce.

Estate Planning in Missouri

Estate planning in Missouri is shaped by statutory probate fees and remote online notarization. The choice between a will and a revocable trust depends on which of those features changes the cost or process for your situation, not on any single rule.

Probate in Missouri runs attorney and executor fees set by statute (RSMo § 473.153(3)), so the cost on a large estate is predictable but mandatory. A simple estate typically closes in 6-12 months, and the 6-month creditor-claim window sets the floor. Estates under $40K can use the Small Estate Affidavit and avoid full probate administration. In Missouri the affidavit is filed with the court, and holders honor it once filed — but no personal representative is appointed and no letters issue.

For a revocable trust, Missouri does not require witnesses for trust execution. Notarization isn't required for validity, though banks and title companies typically expect a notarized trust before they'll work with it. Missouri has adopted the Uniform Trust Code, so trust administration follows the same baseline rules used in most states.

Missouri offers transfer-on-death deeds, which move real estate to a named beneficiary at death without probate and remote online notarization for estate documents, so signing can happen over secure video. Combined with beneficiary designations on retirement accounts and payable-on-death registrations, these can move significant value outside probate without setting up a trust.

SimplyTrustSimplyTrust Editorial·Updated July 13, 2026

Sources

  • revisor.mo.gov

Data sourced from Missouri estate law primary sources (3 pages reviewed). How we research.

Missouri Estate Planning Tools

  • Answer a specific Missouri question: How much does probate cost in Missouri? · Who inherits without a will in Missouri? · Do I need probate in Missouri? · How much does a will cost in Missouri? · How much does a trust cost in Missouri? · How do I sign a will in Missouri?

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