Articles

St. Louis Magazine has named Polaris Estate Planning and Elder Law the Best Estate Planning Law Firm in its 2026 A-List Readers’ Choice Awards. We want to be clear about where this came from, because it changes what it means.…

Written by: Attorney Scott Stork TL;DR Signing a document called a will doesn’t guarantee that a will is valid or that it will work as you intend.. In Missouri, a will has to meet specific requirements, and six common mistakes…

Written by: Attorney Raymond Chandler TL;DR A living trust only accomplishes its intended goals for assets it actually owns.. Many Missouri trusts were properly drafted and signed but never funded, meaning the home was never retitled and the accounts never…

Written by: Anne Harris TL;DR Missouri probate law offers two paths: independent administration, which runs with light court oversight and is faster and cheaper, and supervised administration, where the court signs off on major steps throughout, making it slower, costlier,…

Written by: Marcus Tecarro TL;DR Missouri probate usually takes six months to a year, and a big part of that is simply built into the law: creditors get a set window to come forward before an estate can close. What…

Written by: Attorney Scott Stork TL;DR A living trust and a will each play an important role in estate planning, but they serve different purposes. A living trust can help properly funded assets avoid probate, provide continuity if you become…

Written by: Raymond Chandler TL;DR A Missouri small estate affidavit provides a simplified prohttps://polarisplans.com/missouri-probate/bate process for qualifying estates, but not every estate is eligible. Whether you can use one depends on factors such as the value of the probate estate,…

Written by: Anne Harris TL;DR Missouri probate laws determine how a person’s estate is administered after death, including which assets go through probate, who inherits property, and the responsibilities of the personal representative. Understanding these laws can help families avoid…

Written by: Marcus Tecarro TL;DR Protecting a surviving spouse involves much more than deciding who inherits your assets. A well-coordinated estate plan can help ensure your spouse has access to financial accounts, authority to make important decisions if you’re incapacitated,…

Written by: Attorney Scott Stork TL;DR Understanding what happens in probate court in Missouri can make an overwhelming situation feel much more manageable. Probate is generally required when assets cannot transfer automatically after someone dies, and the process often takes…