The first step is to hire an attorney who practices probate law, such as Hannam Law, to represent you. In general, this attorney will guide you with the following steps:
- Asking the probate court to appoint a personal representative by Applying for Letters Testamentary if there is a will admitted or Applying for Letters of Administration if no will was admitted.
- Publishing notice to creditors. After the date of first publication, creditors have 6 months to submit their claims to the court and the personal representative.
- Conducting an inventory and appraising the decedent’s assets.
- Administering the estate and selling property if funds are needed to pay bills.
- Paying debts, properly submitted claims, taxes, and expenses.
- Preparing a settlement statement which shows income and disbursements of the estate; and
- Obtaining court approval for distribution
- Distributing and closing the estate.
The preceding article is for information purposes only and is not intended to be legal advice. For help with a guardianship or conservatorship, please consult a Missouri probate attorney such as Hannam Law.