Understanding Your Estate Plan
Plain-language guides to help Missouri families make confident decisions about wills, trusts, probate, and powers of attorney — before you ever walk through our door.
What Every Missouri Family Should Know
Estate Planning Terms Defined
Beneficiary
A person or entity named to receive assets from a will, trust, life insurance policy, or retirement account.
Decedent
The person who has died and whose estate is being administered.
Executor / Personal Representative
The person named in a will (or appointed by the court) to manage and distribute the estate.
Fiduciary
A person with a legal duty to act in another's best interest — trustees, executors, and agents under a POA are all fiduciaries.
Grantor / Settlor
The person who creates and funds a trust.
Intestate
Dying without a valid will. Missouri's intestacy laws then determine who inherits.
Letters Testamentary
A court document authorizing the personal representative to act on behalf of the estate.
Probate
The court-supervised process of validating a will, paying debts, and distributing assets.
Trustee
The person or institution responsible for managing trust assets according to the trust document.
Pour-Over Will
A will that directs any assets not already in your trust to 'pour over' into it at death — ensuring everything ends up in one place.
Common Questions, Straight Answers
Ready to Build Your Plan?
A free consultation is the first step. We'll review your situation, answer your questions, and give you a clear picture of what you need — with no obligation.