Serves Buchanan County and western Missouri from St. Joseph. Represents personal representatives and family members through estate administration and probate litigation, including will contests, and drafts wills, trusts, and powers of attorney. Offers a free initial consultation.
What to Do When Someone Dies in Buchanan County, Missouri
How probate works in Buchanan County: the Circuit Court - Probate Division record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Buchanan County Circuit Court - Probate Division
Buchanan County · 5th Judicial Circuit
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Office
411 Jules Street, Room 333, St. Joseph, MO 64501
Website
E-filing
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
E-filing
Required for attorneysAttorneys file probate cases electronically in PDF format through the statewide Missouri eFiling System. The original will, and the canceled checks and bank statements for a settlement, are filed on paper with the probate division. On paper: Self-represented filers file on paper with the clerk; the eFiling system is open to Missouri attorneys and approved agency filers; Canceled checks and bank statements for settlements are filed on paper.
Self-represented filing
AllowedA self-represented filer opening a probate case files a Filing Information Sheet with the first filing, listing each decedent and all available information on the heirs. The statewide probate forms are on the Missouri Courts probate forms page.
Departments
- Division 2 clerks, second number1-816-271-1449 · Room 333
- Circuit Clerk1-816-271-1462 · Room 331The circuit clerk's main office for civil filings, fines and costs.
About the court
- Part of the 5th Judicial Circuit serving Andrew and Buchanan Counties. Probate is handled by the Division 2 probate clerks in Room 333 of the Buchanan County Courthouse.
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Buchanan County
Probate is the court-supervised process of settling someone's estate after they die — validating the will, paying debts and taxes, and transferring what's left to the heirs. In Buchanan County, probate runs through the Circuit Court - Probate Division at 411 Jules Street, Room 333, St. Joseph. The court sits in the 5th Judicial Circuit. The same 5th Judicial Circuit also serves Andrew.
The personal representative opens the case, gives notice to heirs and creditors, files an inventory of the estate's assets, settles outstanding debts and taxes, and then distributes the remainder under the will — or under Missouri intestacy law when there is no will.
Most Missouri estates take 12 months to 18 months to move through this process. Creditors have 6 monthsRSMo §§ 473.033, 473.360, 473.380, 473.397, 473.403, 473.444Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the first publication of the notice to creditors.
What Probate Costs in Buchanan County
What probate costs in Buchanan County, Missouri comes down to a handful of line items — the court filing fee, attorney and executor compensation, publication, and sometimes a bond — scaled by the estate's size and whether the will is contested. The case itself runs through the Circuit Court - Probate Division at 411 Jules Street, Room 333, St. Joseph. The court is part of the 5th Judicial Circuit.
Procedures at this court that affect cost: Fee applications above the statutory fee are itemized by date, task and hours.
Missouri's letters fee is tiered on the final inventory value: $115 up to $50,000, then $50 for each further $50,000, capped at $565 at $500,000 and above, and it includes one certified copy of the letters. Admitting a will adds $35, and each extra year the estate stays open adds $30. Counties add local surcharges at filingMo. Sup. Ct. Op. R. 21.01(a)(12)-(13); RSMo §§ 488.012, 483.580Verified Oct 17, 2026View source. Additional filings during administration — inventory, accounting, the final petition — add to the total.
Estimate the costs for this estate:
Missouri sets attorney fees by statute — a percentage of the estate's gross value. Every attorney charges the same schedule, so the decision to hire one comes down to complexity, not price.
Missouri sets executor compensation by statute — about $14,050 on a $500,000 estate, roughly 2.8%RSMo § 473.153(1) (statutory minimum: 5% first $5K, 4% next $20K, 3% next $75K, 2.75% next $300K, 2.5% next $600K, 2% over $1M, on personal property administered and court-ordered real estate sales)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
Missouri requires publishing notice to creditors in a local newspaper, and the estate pays for it.
A surety bond may be required unless the will waives it or all beneficiaries consent. Premiums run roughly 0.5%Industry surety premium estimate; the bond itself under RSMo §§ 473.157 (requirement), 473.160 (waiver by will)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value annually.
Probate in Missouri typically runs 12 months to 18 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
How to File Probate at the Circuit Court - Probate Division
Probate cases in Buchanan County, Missouri are filed at the Circuit Court - Probate Division. The court sits in the 5th Judicial Circuit.
Beside the filing office, the court lists separate lines for Division 2 clerks, second number and Circuit Clerk.
Can You File Without an Attorney?
Missouri has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is availableRSMo §§ 473.023 (court or clerk grants letters), 473.073 (clerk or court admits the will and grants letters), 473.047 (judge or clerk grants a certificate of probate), 473.065 (self-proved will)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source.
For a full cost comparison and filing checklist, see the Buchanan County Self-Filing Assessment.
Buchanan County Filing Requirements
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Before You File
Buchanan County probate cases are heard in Division 2, the circuit and probate division.
SourceDocument Requirements
Settlement bank records are filed on paper.
Canceled checks and bank statements supporting a settlement are filed with the probate court as paper documents, not electronically.
SourceWhat to Bring
Filed with the opening petition at the Circuit Court - Probate Division: Copy of the death certificate; Original will and any codicils, delivered to the probate division after death (RSMo 473.043); OSCA: "the Original Will must be filed with Probate (RSMo 473.043) before Letters will be granted"; Application for Letters Testamentary / of Administration stating decedent, heirs/devisees, probable value of the estate, the attorney for the applicant, and whether supervised or independent administration is sought (RSMo 473.017.1(1)-(10)); Bond, unless waived by the will or excused by the court (RSMo 473.157, 473.160)RSMo 473.017 (application for letters - content); 473.020 (who may apply / time limits); 473.023 (court or clerk to grant letters); 473.073 (proof required for probate and grant of administration); 473.110 (priority for letters); 473.780-.843 (independent administration)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
Death Certificates and the Medical Examiner in Buchanan County
In Missouri a death is registered locally, and in Buchanan County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by City of St. Joseph Health Department, Buchanan County as well as by Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services - Bureau of Vital Records.
Vital Records Office Record
Local Health Department
Buchanan County · City of St. Joseph Health Department
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Office
904 South 10th Street, 2nd Floor, St. Joseph, MO 64503
Website
Local rule
- A request not made in person is mailed on the printed form, notarized; it cannot be completed online.
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $14 |
| Each additional copy ordered at the same time | $11 |
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Medical Examiner
Buchanan County · Buchanan County Medical Examiner's Office
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Office
411 Jules, Room 101A, St. Joseph, MO 64501
Website
Cremation authorization
Signed by this office
Mail and offices
Fax
1-866-670-4855
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Transferring Property in Buchanan County
Clearing title to real estate after a death, whether by a personal representative’s deed, an affidavit of survivorship, or a court order, happens at the Recorder of Deeds.
Deeds and other real property documents for Buchanan County are recorded with the Recorder of Deeds at 411 Jules Street, Room 103, St. Joseph, MO 64501. Phone: 1-816-271-1437. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM.
The Recorder of Deeds charges $26 for the first page plus $3 for each additional page.
Buchanan County accepts electronic recording through iCounty.
Recording Office Record
Recorder of Deeds
Buchanan County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Office
411 Jules Street, Room 103, St. Joseph, MO 64501
E-recording
Fees
Recording fees
| Base fee (first page) | $26 |
| Each additional page | $3 |
| Transfer tax on a TOD deed | No transfer tax applies to TOD deeds |
RSMo 59.310.6(1), 59.319, 59.321, 59.800, 50.1190
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Forms that put a death on the title
- Free forms: Affidavit of Heirship Form
Probate Attorneys Serving Buchanan County
Missouri allows informal probate, so many families settle straightforward estates in Buchanan County without hiring an attorney. A probate attorney earns the fee when the estate is contested, includes a business or out-of-state real estate, has unclear or insolvent debts, or when beneficiaries disagree.
Probate attorney fees in Missouri are set by statute as a percentage of the estate's value, so every Buchanan County attorney charges the same schedule. Price isn't the variable — experience with the Circuit Court - Probate Division and responsiveness are.
A probate attorney files the petition with the Circuit Court - Probate Division, publishes the required creditor notices, prepares the inventory and accounting, handles creditor claims and tax filings, and guides the final distribution. They represent the personal representative — not the beneficiaries — a distinction that matters if a dispute develops.
Clinton County firm with offices in Plattsburg and Lathrop, representing clients across northwest Missouri including DeKalb, Andrew, Buchanan, Caldwell and Daviess counties. Helps families administer trusts and estates, including the estate of a deceased parent, and drafts wills and trusts. Also handles estate and succession planning for family farm, business and real estate holdings.
St. Joseph elder law practice of attorney Jennifer McKinley, serving individuals and families in the Northwest Missouri area. Prepares wills, revocable living trusts, special needs trusts, beneficiary deeds, and financial and healthcare powers of attorney, and handles Medicaid planning to protect assets when long-term care is needed.
Maryville firm serving Nodaway County and the surrounding northwest Missouri counties. Robert E. Sundell, who began practicing in northwest Missouri in 1992 and formed the firm in 1996, handles probate proceedings, estate administration, creditor claims, and disputes among beneficiaries, along with wills, trusts, and planning for the transfer of family farms and businesses.
Liberty elder law firm handling probate for families whose loved one lived in Kansas City, Liberty, Gladstone, Parkville, or anywhere in Clay or Platte counties. Guides executors through small-estate and full administration, intestate estates, and determinations of heirship. Cassie M. Rocha, Kara T. Burgess, and Tessa R. Carr also handle Medicaid and nursing home planning.
Springfield firm serving Greene County and southwest Missouri, handling probate in county courts throughout the state. Runs estate administrations, small estates, refusals of letters, heirship determinations and affidavits, guardianship and conservatorship estates, and ancillary probate. Its elder law practice covers Medicaid (MO HealthNet) planning and special needs trusts.
Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to verify their current practice areas and availability.
Legal Sources
(9)·
- Mo. Sup. Ct. Op. R. 21.01(a)(12)-(13); RSMo §§ 488.012, 483.580
- RSMo § 473.153(1) (statutory minimum: 5% first $5K, 4% next $20K, 3% next $75K, 2.75% next $300K, 2.5% next $600K, 2% over $1M, on personal property administered and court-ordered real estate sales)
- RSMo §§ 473.023 (court or clerk grants letters), 473.073 (clerk or court admits the will and grants letters), 473.047 (judge or clerk grants a certificate of probate), 473.065 (self-proved will)
- RSMo §§ 473.033, 473.360, 473.380, 473.397, 473.403, 473.444
- RSMo 473.017 (application for letters - content); 473.020 (who may apply / time limits); 473.023 (court or clerk to grant letters); 473.073 (proof required for probate and grant of administration); 473.110 (priority for letters); 473.780-.843 (independent administration)
- RSMo 59.310.6(1), 59.319, 59.321, 59.800, 50.1190
- Buchanan County Circuit Court - Probate Division, official page
- Buchanan County Recorder of Deeds, official page
- Buchanan County vital records and death investigation offices, official page
Data sourced from Missouri statutes and official state code. Fee percentages are modeled estimates; each figure's note says how. How we research.
Tools for Settling an Estate in Missouri
Free tools for settling an estate in Missouri: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool for Missouri.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in Missouri: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 30 daysRSMo §§ 473.233, 473.240Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 6 monthsRSMo §§ 473.033, 473.360, 473.380, 473.397, 473.403, 473.444Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 6 months to 12 months.
See the Steps
How Do I Settle a Trust?
Settling a trust in Missouri happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's Uniform Trust CodeMo. Rev. Stat. § 456.1-101 et seq. (Missouri Uniform Trust Code)Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries within 120 daysRSMo §§ 456.8-813, 456.10-1005Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
See the Steps
Can I Self-File Probate?
Missouri has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is availableRSMo §§ 473.023 (court or clerk grants letters), 473.073 (clerk or court admits the will and grants letters), 473.047 (judge or clerk grants a certificate of probate), 473.065 (self-proved will)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source.
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