636-698-1331
Many people ask this question. In Missouri, the answer is nuanced. A trust can help avoid probate, but the trust document alone doesn’t automatically avoid it. Probate is an asset by asset issue. What matters is how each asset is titled and how it transfers at death. A trust can be an effective probate-avoidance tool, […]
What happens to my house in a divorce?
The court can award the house to one spouse, order it sold, or grant temporary possession during the case. The name on the deed doesn’t automatically control the outcome. If you bought the house during marriage with your income, it’s marital property. If you owned it before marriage or received it by gift or inheritance, […]
What happens to my house when I die in Missouri?
What happens to your house when you die in depends on how the title is held and whether you planned ahead. If the house is titled in your name alone and you have not used a trust or a beneficiary deed, it goes through probate. If you have a valid will, the court follows your […]
How do you actually get assets into a trust?
To get assets into your trust, you need to either retitle the assets or use a non-probate transfer technique. For immediate transfer into your trust, you will need to retitle the asset in the name of the trustee, referencing also the trust name and creation date. This will look different based on the asset you’re […]
Beneficiary Deeds in Missouri
A beneficiary deed can be a helpful tool in estate planning. It offers a simple way to transfer real estate outside of probate while maintaining control of the property during your lifetime. But it’s not the right fit for everyone. In some cases, property needs to be transferred immediately, not after death. If you have […]
Estate Planning Is About Protection
Estate planning is not about how much you have. It is about what you want to protect. Most families do not build estate plans solely for financial reasons. They do it because they care about who they leave behind. They want to make hard moments easier. They want to keep their families out of court, […]