Complete Legal Missouri Pour Over Will Forms For Free

Many people mistakenly believe that a Will avoids probate. In Missouri, when you die with a valid Will, your Will must be admitted to Probate Court. You Will will govern the disposition of all of your individual property you own which does not automatically transfer by law to a joint tenant or to a named beneficiary.

In Missouri, a will does not have to be notarized. However, making a will self-proving can simplify the probate process. To create a self-proving will, the testator and witnesses must sign an affidavit in the presence of a notary public. The notary public then notarizes the affidavit, which is attached to the will.

Although Missouri does not require a will to be notarized, most Missouri practitioners use two witnesses and a notary to make the will self-proving (see Drafting Note, Self-Proving Affidavit).

Any person who is at least 18 years old and of sound mind can make a will. When is a Will Legal in Missouri? In Missouri, a will is legal when it is signed and the signature was witnessed by two people. A will can be changed through a codicil with the same formalities as when the will was signed.

Estate Planning Tools You Can Use to Avoid Probate Revocable Living Trusts. ... Beneficiary Deeds. ... Transfer-on-Death (TOD) Designations. ... Payable-on-Death (POD) Designations. ... Beneficiary Bill of Sale / Beneficiary Transfer Instrument. ... Joint Titling of Property.

However, all wills, including pour-over wills, must go through the probate process. Depending on your circumstances, it may be a good idea to have a pour-over will in place if you want all your assets handled through a trust when you die.