Single in Missouri? The state already wrote your estate plan
If you are single and have never signed a will, you still have an estate plan. Missouri wrote it for you. You probably would not like it. I hear the same thing from single clients…
Ask The Lawyer
A weekly legal column by Patrick Nolan
Missouri Estate Planning: A Checklist After You Move
You land in Missouri with a stack of paperwork—new driver’s license, vehicle registration, school files, and medical records. In the chaos of a cross-country move, it is easy to let your estate plan sit at…
Setting Up a Missouri Gun Trust for NFA Firearms
If you think a gun trust is just paperwork busywork, think again. Most Missouri gun owners who want suppressors or short-barreled rifles turn to trusts because they want control, clarity, and peace of mind. Here’s…
Self-proving Will Affidavit Saves Time, Money, and Heartache for Grieving Loved Ones.
A will without a self-proving affidavit in Missouri is like a car without insurance: it still runs, but you’re gambling with a costly crash. Here’s the deal: the self-proving affidavit is a one-page document signed…
Out-of-state Real Estate doesn't have to be a burden
Owning property outside Missouri isn’t just pride—it’s a legal headache waiting to happen. That Florida condo, Iowa farm, or Lake of the Ozarks cabin can become a trap if you don’t plan right. Here’s what…
Dodging the Probate Trap
Probate inventory in Missouri: a mandatory nightmare nobody volunteers for. When someone dies with assets solely in their name, the court steps in and demands a detailed list—and it has to be filed fast, usually…
Missouri 401(k): Naming a Trust as Your Beneficiary
Naming a trust as the beneficiary of your 401(k) in Missouri isn’t a casual move. Get it right, and that trust locks down your assets, cuts tax pain, and controls who gets what and when.…
Missouri’s 2026 Electronic Estate Planning Overhaul: What You Should Expect The Move from Pen and Paper to Pixels
Paper wills are dying in Missouri. Digital estate planning took over in 2026—and it’s not your average e-sign solution. Thanks to the Missouri Electronic Wills and Trusts Act (HB 2037), you won’t need to hunt…
Young Adult in Missouri Should Pay Attention
Missouri young adults need legal plans the moment they turn 18—not when they have money or get older. A power of attorney, healthcare directive, HIPAA authorization, and basic will protect you and give the people…
The Ground Truth: Wills and Trusts in Day-to-Day Missouri Life
A safe deposit box key in a coffee can, handwritten notes about farmland, family names scratched on envelopes—most folks in Adair County have seen estate planning done the hard way. The state, though, offers two…
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