Missouri Executor & Trustee Checklist
You've been named executor or trustee in Missouri — and probably handed no instructions. This is the ordered list of what to do, in the sequence Missouri expects it, with the deadlines and terminology that are specific to this state. Work down it, check things off, and nothing important slips.
- Who administers the estate
- Personal Representative (Missouri Probate Code term; covers executor/administrator)
- Court
- Circuit Court, Probate Division
- Appointment document
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration
- Creditor claim window
- 6 months after first published notice of letters (or 2 months after actual notice, whichever is later; 1-year-from-death absolute bar)
- Inventory deadline
- Within 30 days after letters are granted, filed with the court
- Trustee notice deadline
- 120 days
- State death tax
- None
If you're the Executor / Personal Representative
The probate track — administering the estate through the Circuit Court, Probate Division.
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This is the document that proves you have authority to act as Personal Representative (Missouri Probate Code term; covers executor/administrator).
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Publish notice of letters (RSMo §473.033); claims barred if not filed within 6 months of first publication (RSMo §473.360).
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Within 30 days after letters are granted, filed with the court (RSMo §473.233).
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No UPC-style fixed heir-notice deadline; notice of the petition/hearing is given per the Missouri Probate Code.
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Get an EIN for the estate from the IRS (free at irs.gov, ~10 minutes) — the estate is its own taxpayer and you'll need it before a bank will open an account.
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Open a dedicated estate bank account — every dollar in or out flows through it; commingling estate money with your own is the fastest way to get into trouble.
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Keep receipts and records of every transaction and decision — not just what you did, but why; your final accounting is built from this and it's your protection if a choice is ever questioned.
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Pay valid claims and taxes before distributing anything, in the statutory order — paying family first can leave you personally liable. None — no Missouri estate tax and no inheritance tax.
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Collect a signed receipt or release from every beneficiary when you distribute.
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Independent administration closes via a Statement of Account / final statement (RSMo §473.837/§473.840); supervised administration requires a court-approved final settlement. Cannot close before the 6-month creditor claim period runs.
Celestial Divide keeps the inventory, valuations, creditor claims, and beneficiary distributions organized in one place — so nothing on this checklist slips through the cracks.
14 days, no credit card
If you're the Trustee
The trust track — administering a trust outside of probate.
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Locate and read the entire trust document, including any amendments and restatements — your powers, limits, and timelines live there.
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120 days (not 60) — RSMo §456.8-813(2): notify qualified beneficiaries within 120 days after learning a formerly revocable trust became irrevocable.
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Publish notice of letters (RSMo §473.033); claims barred if not filed within 6 months of first publication (RSMo §473.360).
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Get an EIN for the trust from the IRS — the trust becomes irrevocable at death and files its own returns from that point.
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Retitle and gather the trust assets; hunt down anything never moved into the trust — it may need probate.
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Keep trust assets separate from your own, always — separate accounts, separate records, no exceptions.
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Document every decision, valuation, and distribution as you go.
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Account to the beneficiaries at least annually and at termination.
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Distribute according to the terms of the trust and collect signed receipts and releases.
Good to know in Missouri
Small Estate Affidavit — total estate (less liens) ≤ $40,000, 30 days after death (RSMo §473.097); 'Refusal of Letters' procedures also available.
Independent administration closes via a Statement of Account / final statement (RSMo §473.837/§473.840); supervised administration requires a court-approved final settlement. Cannot close before the 6-month creditor claim period runs.
Independent vs. Supervised Administration is the defining Missouri distinction. Trustee post-death notice deadline is 120 days, double the UTC norm. Letters generally must be applied for within 1 year of death.
Sources — investigate further
The steps above are drawn from Missouri's own statutes and courts. To dig deeper:
We'll email you a copy so it's always one click away. No spam — just the checklist and the occasional estate-settlement tip.
Celestial Divide keeps the inventory, valuations, creditor claims, and beneficiary distributions organized in one place — so nothing on this checklist slips through the cracks.
14 days, no credit card
General information, not legal advice. Laws change and county practice varies. When in doubt, talk to a probate attorney licensed in the relevant state.