Legal Insights for Real Estate & Estate Planning

Key Takeaways Missouri requires a will to be written, signed by the testator, and witnessed by two people. A valid testator must be at least eighteen years old and of sound mind under Missouri law. Missouri does not recognize unwitnessed handwritten wills, even when the document is signed by the person who wrote it....

Key Takeaways If a parent leaves everything to one child, that child inherits the estate unless the will is successfully contested. Dying with a will versus dying without one leads to very different outcomes. Missouri gives interested parties six months after probate to contest a will. Valid grounds to challenge a will include incapacity,...

Key Takeaways Immediate steps include ordering death certificates, securing the property, petitioning for an administrator, and consulting an attorney. Order several certified copies of the death certificate before contacting banks, insurers, or government agencies. Secure the home, vehicle, and other valuable property while the family sorts out the rest of the estate. A surviving...