How Much Does a Trustee Get Paid in Missouri?
In Missouri, trustee compensation follows "reasonable compensation" (UTC § 708 or equivalent)Mo. Rev. Stat. § 456.7-708Verified Sep 18, 2026View source unless the trust instrument sets a different amount.
Missouri allows a trustee reasonable compensationMo. Rev. Stat. § 456.7-708Verified Sep 18, 2026View source, with no statutory schedule, so the amount turns on the type of trustee and the work. A family trustee typically takes 0% to 1% of trust assets a year, or waives the fee; a professional trustee 0.5% to 1.5%; a corporate trustee 1% to 2% with an annual minimum of about $5,000.
Yes. Trustee compensation is taxable income to the trustee. In Missouri, that means federal income tax and state income taxMo. Rev. Stat. § 143.011Verified Sep 20, 2026View source at up to 4.7%Mo. Rev. Stat. § 143.011Verified Sep 20, 2026View source. A professional trustee also owes self-employment tax on it; a family trustee who is not in the business of serving reports it as other income. The trust deducts the payment as an administration expense.
Yes. A family member serving as trustee in Missouri is entitled to the same compensation as a professional. Many family trustees waive or reduce the fee, especially when they are also beneficiaries, since the fee is taxable income to the trustee while a distribution usually is not. A record of time and duties is what supports any fee taken if a beneficiary or a court asks.
A one-time fee fits a trust that distributes everything and closes, the way an executor is paid once for a probate. An annual fee fits a trust that continues for years, such as one holding assets for a minor child or a beneficiary with special needs. Which model applies follows the trust's purpose, not Missouri law. The Missouri executor fee calculator is the comparison for a one-time distribution.
The two roles differ in length: an executor handles a probate that runs 6 months to 18 months, while a trustee may manage assets for years. In Missouri, executor fees follow a statutory scheduleRSMo § 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; where reasonable compensation exceeds the minimum the court shall allow additional compensation — extraordinary services not required). Schedule is computed on personal property administered plus proceeds of court-ordered real property sales; unsold real property is excluded from the base.Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, and trustee compensation is set by the trust document or a reasonable-compensation standardMo. Rev. Stat. § 456.7-708Verified Sep 18, 2026View source. A one-time trustee fee on a trust that distributes at once is often comparable to the executor fee on an estate of the same size.
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Forms for Settling an Estate in Missouri
Free forms for settling an estate in Missouri: the probate petition, small estate affidavit, notice to creditors, inventory, and closing forms.
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 inheritance taxes.
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.
How Many Death Certificates Do I Need?
In Missouri, certified death certificates come from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services - Bureau of Vital RecordsMissouri Department of Health and Senior Services - Bureau of Vital RecordsVerified Oct 15, 2026View source; the first copy costs $14Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services - Bureau of Vital RecordsVerified Oct 15, 2026View source, additional copies $11Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services - Bureau of Vital RecordsVerified Oct 15, 2026View source each.
Do I Need Probate?
In Missouri, estates valued at $40,000RSMo § 473.097Verified Sep 8, 2026View source or less use the Small Estate AffidavitRSMo § 473.097Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, 30 daysRSMo § 473.097Verified Sep 8, 2026View source after death, a court filing short of full probate.
How Do I Open a Trust Account at My Bank?
Compare trust-account requirements bank by bank: how a revocable trust account is opened or retitled, and what proves the trust.
Do I Have to File Tax Returns for Someone Who Died?
Missouri requires a final state income tax return for the decedent alongside the federal Form 1040Mo. Rev. Stat. § 143.011Verified Sep 20, 2026View source; a federal estate tax return (Form 706) is required only for estates above $15,000,00026 USC 2001(c), 2010; P.L. 119-21 §70106Verified Sep 15, 2026View source.
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.
What Do I Do When Someone Dies?
After a death in Missouri, the estate either qualifies for the simplified procedure for estates under $40,000RSMo § 473.097Verified Sep 8, 2026View source or goes through probate, where creditors have 6 monthsRSMo § 473.360Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to file claims after notice.
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Missouri Estate Settlement Resources
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