What Is the Estate's Personal Property Worth for Probate in Missouri?
Estimate the fair market value of household items for the Missouri estate inventory — what furniture, electronics, and appliances would sell for today, not what was paid.
Frequently Asked Questions
Personal property in Missouri is valued at fair market value — what the item would sell for on the open market, not the original purchase price.RSMo § 473.023 (court or clerk grants letters), § 473.047 (judge or clerk grants certificate of probate), § 473.050 (will presentment), § 473.065 (self-proved will probated without further proof), § 473.073 (clerk or court admits will and grants letters), § 473.090 (refusal of letters), § 473.097 (small estate), § 473.153 (fees; § 473.153(1) base = personal property administered + court-ordered real property sale proceeds), § 473.157 (bond), § 473.160 (bond waiver), § 473.233 (inventory deadline), § 473.360 (creditor claims), § 473.780 (independent administration), § 473.823 (independent-administration compensation), § 483.530 (probate division court costs), § 488.012 (uniform court cost surcharges)Verified Jul 14, 2026 Most household items (furniture, electronics, clothing) lose 50-90% of their value. Professional appraisals are used for art, collectibles, jewelry, and other high-value items.
No. Executors in Missouri can typically group low-value household goods into a single line on the inventory — for example, "household furnishings and personal effects" — while valuable items such as jewelry, art, and collectibles are listed individually. Each value reflects fair market value as of the date of death.
In Missouri, the executor must file the estate inventory within 1 month of appointment. If assets are discovered later, Missouri requires a supplemental inventory.RSMo §§ 473.233, 473.240Verified Jul 14, 2026
Estates with personal property under $40,000 in Missouri may qualify for Small Estate Affidavit, which avoids full probate.RSMo § 473.023 (court or clerk grants letters), § 473.047 (judge or clerk grants certificate of probate), § 473.050 (will presentment), § 473.065 (self-proved will probated without further proof), § 473.073 (clerk or court admits will and grants letters), § 473.090 (refusal of letters), § 473.097 (small estate), § 473.153 (fees; § 473.153(1) base = personal property administered + court-ordered real property sale proceeds), § 473.157 (bond), § 473.160 (bond waiver), § 473.233 (inventory deadline), § 473.360 (creditor claims), § 473.780 (independent administration), § 473.823 (independent-administration compensation), § 483.530 (probate division court costs), § 488.012 (uniform court cost surcharges)Verified Jul 14, 2026 Accurate valuation at fair market value can determine whether the estate falls below this threshold. Check eligibility with the Missouri probate need checker.
High-value items such as art, antiques, jewelry, and collectibles typically require professional appraisals, while typical household items — furniture, electronics, appliances, clothing — can be valued using comparable sales data. Missouri requires a formal appraisal of estate property.RSMo §§ 473.233, 473.240Verified Jul 14, 2026
Once the inventory is filed, tangible personal property in Missouri passes under any specific gifts in the will, then under the will's residuary clause. Without a will, it passes under Missouri intestate succession. See who receives it with the Missouri inheritance calculator.
Not necessarily. Items with named beneficiaries (life insurance, retirement accounts), jointly held property, and assets in a trust bypass probate. Only personal property owned solely by the deceased passes through probate in Missouri. The Missouri probate need checker determines which assets require probate.
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