Estate Planning & Elder Law Articles — page 3
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How to Avoid Probate in Missouri: What Actually Works
Written by: Marcus Tecarro Missouri gives property owners several tools for keeping assets out of probate: a living trust, joint ownership with survivorship rights, beneficiary designations, and beneficiary deeds for… Read “How to Avoid Probate in Missouri: What Actually Works”
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Transfer on Death Deed Missouri: How a Beneficiary Deed Actually Works
Written by: Attorney Scott Stork Missouri’s official term is beneficiary deed, though most people search for it as a transfer on death deed, or TOD deed. They’re the same thing. Under Missouri law (RSMo 461.025), a… Read “Transfer on Death Deed Missouri: How a Beneficiary Deed Actually Works”
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Can Medicaid Take Your House in Missouri? Here’s What Actually Happens
Written by: Attorney Raymond Chandler Medicaid does not automatically take your house when you enter a nursing home. However, Missouri may impose a lien against real property during the recipient’s lifetime in certain… Read “Can Medicaid Take Your House in Missouri? Here’s What Actually Happens”
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How to Fund a Trust: What Asset Integration Actually Involves
Written by: Anne Harris Asset integration, or how to fund a trust, means legally connecting assets to the trust and coordinating how they will pass under the estate plan. For many assets, that means transferring or… Read “How to Fund a Trust: What Asset Integration Actually Involves”
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Missouri Medicaid Income Limits for 2026: Which Number Actually Applies to You
Written by: Anne Harris There isn’t one Missouri Medicaid income limit. There are several, and which one applies depends on which program you’re asking about: nursing home Medicaid, a Home and Community-Based Services… Read “Missouri Medicaid Income Limits for 2026: Which Number Actually Applies to You”
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How to Create a Living Trust in Missouri: The Real Steps
Written by: Marcus Tecarro Creating a living trust in Missouri involves four real steps: designing the trust around your family, signing it correctly, naming the right people to administer it, and asset integration. You… Read “How to Create a Living Trust in Missouri: The Real Steps”
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How Long Does Probate Take in Missouri? What to Actually Expect
Written by: Attorney Scott Stork Most Missouri probate cases take 6 to 12 months from start to finish, though a handful of factors can move that number in either direction. Small estates can close in a few months… Read “How Long Does Probate Take in Missouri? What to Actually Expect”
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How Much Do Lawyers Charge to Set Up a Trust? Why There’s No Single Number
If you’ve recently asked “How much do lawyers charge to set up a trust?” it’s important to know attorneys charge in different ways, and what your plan actually costs depends on your specific situation. Here’s how… Read “How Much Do Lawyers Charge to Set Up a Trust? Why There’s No Single Number”
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Missouri Medicaid for Seniors: How MO HealthNet Works in 2026
Written by: Anne Harris Missouri’s Medicaid program for seniors is called MO HealthNet, and it’s really two different programs wearing one name. There’s regular MO HealthNet, which covers medical care and works… Read “Missouri Medicaid for Seniors: How MO HealthNet Works in 2026”
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How to Create a Will in Missouri (2026)
Written by: Marcus Tecarro At Polaris, we build a will as one part of a complete estate plan, not as a single document to check off a list. Missouri law sets specific requirements for what a will has to include and how… Read “How to Create a Will in Missouri (2026)”