What are the opening hours?

Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm

Dan Schnurbusch Estate Planning

Home
United States
St. Louis, MO
Dan Schnurbusch Estate Planning

I help families claim their rightful inheritance through efficient probate.

02/27/2026

Selling a loved one’s car after a death sounds simple.

In Missouri, it often isn’t. 😬

We talked with a family who already had a buyer lined up for Dad’s truck.

Everyone agreed.

They thought they could just sign the title.

Then the license office asked: “Who has authority to sign for the deceased owner?”

Here’s how it works in Missouri:

If the title has a TOD beneficiary, the car often avoids probate.

If there’s no TOD beneficiary, the vehicle generally can’t be transferred until there’s probate authority (letters / small estate paperwork).

And there’s a specific exception: a surviving spouse (or unmarried minor child) may be able to transfer one vehicle without a probate order using the DOR’s “exempt property” affidavit process—but you still have to title it properly before you can sell it.

Takeaway: don’t line up a buyer until you know the title path.

If you’re dealing with this in Missouri, find us on Google.

Not legal advice; every case is fact-specific.

02/16/2026

“They told me I need the judge’s permission to sell the house.”

Sometimes yes. Sometimes no.

We talked with a Missouri personal representative who was ready to list the home.

Then the realtor said, “Probate means the court has to approve the sale.”

Here’s how it works in Missouri (plain English):

If the estate is in independent administration, the personal representative often has authority to sell estate real estate without getting a separate court order each time (unless the will restricts it).

If the will gives the executor a power of sale, the executor may be able to sell under that power.

If neither applies, the sale is often done through a court-ordered process.

Takeaway: don’t set a closing date until you know which track your case is in.

If you’re selling Missouri real estate after a death, find us on Google.

Not legal advice; every case is fact-specific.

02/15/2026

“We made all the kids co-executors so it would be fair.”

I get it. And also… it can slow a Missouri probate way down. 😬

A family called us this week.

Dad named three adult kids as co-executors.

Everyone gets along.

But now everything takes forever because banks and others keep asking for multiple signatures, and the siblings are never all available at the same time.

Here’s how it works in Missouri: the court can appoint more than one personal representative if the will names them. But if one doesn’t apply or won’t serve, letters can be issued to the others so the estate can move forward.

Also, Missouri law allows higher total PR compensation when there are multiple joint/successor personal representatives (up to a capped amount), and bond requirements can get more complicated.

Takeaway: co-executors often turn probate into a group project.

If you’re dealing with this in Missouri, find us on Google.

Not legal advice; every case is fact-specific.

02/06/2026

“There’s no family… so the State takes everything, right?” 😬

Not always in Missouri.

We handled an intestate (no-will) estate for a widower.

No kids.
No close blood relatives anyone could find.

But his late wife’s family was still around.

They assumed they had zero rights but wanted to double check.

In Missouri, if there’s no surviving spouse and no kindred of the decedent entitled to inherit, the estate can pass to the kindred of the predeceased spouse (the spouse who was married to the decedent when the spouse died). Only if nobody qualifies does the property escheat to the State.

Takeaway: “no heirs” is not something you decide in a group text.

If you’re dealing with a Missouri estate and aren’t sure who inherits, find us on Google.

Not legal advice; every case is fact-specific.

02/02/2026

“We have a trust, so we don’t need probate.”

Then we looked at the house deed. 😬

A family called this week with a trust binder they’d paid good money for.

Problem: the house and main accounts were never retitled into the trust.

In Missouri, a trust only controls what the trust actually owns. If the assets are still titled in the decedent’s name at death, they can get stuck and may require probate to transfer.

Yes, a “pour-over” will can direct leftover assets into the trust. But that usually means probate is still needed to move title from the decedent to the trust.

Takeaway: a trust avoids probate only if it’s funded.

If you’re dealing with this in Missouri, find us on Google.

Not legal advice; every case is fact-specific.

02/01/2026

“No probate! I inherited the house with a beneficiary deed.”

And then the mortgage issue showed up. 😬

We talked with a family who did have a valid beneficiary deed recorded.

So yes — ownership passed.

But they assumed that meant the house was “free and clear” now.

In Missouri, a beneficiary deed transfers the owner’s interest at death (if it was recorded before death).

But it only transfers what the owner had — meaning the property still comes with any existing mortgage/deed of trust or liens. If payments stop, the lender can still enforce its lien under Missouri foreclosure law.

Takeaway: avoiding probate doesn’t erase the mortgage.

If you’re dealing with this in Missouri, find us on Google.

Not legal advice; every case is different.

01/31/2026

“We’re the kids. We can sign the deed.”

I wish Missouri probate worked like that. 😬

A family called this week with a signed contract to sell Mom’s house.

They were proud of themselves (and honestly, good for them).

Then title asked: “Who has authority to sign for the estate?”

In Missouri, property can pass at death, but it’s still subject to administration and claims. If the house is in the decedent’s name only (no survivorship / no beneficiary deed), a title company usually needs court authority—typically letters—before the sale can close.

Takeaway: don’t set a closing date until you know whether probate is needed.

If you’re dealing with a Missouri house after a death, find us on Google.

Not legal advice; every case is fact-specific.

01/29/2026

“They told me I have to do probate to sell the house.”

Not always. 😬

We talked with a widow who assumed she’d need Missouri probate just because her husband’s name was on the deed.

Then we looked at the deed.

It listed them as “husband and wife.”

In Missouri, a deed to a married couple is generally presumed to create a tenancy by the entirety unless the deed clearly says otherwise.

That usually means: when one spouse dies, the surviving spouse continues owning the whole property—so the house often does NOT go through probate.

Important warnings:
- You must have been legally married when the deed was signed.
- The wording matters (some deeds create tenancy in common, which can require probate).

Before you open probate “just for the house,” check the deed with the Recorder of Deeds office in the county where the property sits.

If you’re dealing with this in Missouri, find us on Google.

Not legal advice; every case is fact-specific.

01/28/2026

The bank took months of Social Security deposits back out of the account. 😬

A family called thinking it was fraud.

It wasn’t.

Here’s the part that surprises people: Social Security generally can’t pay benefits for the month of death or beyond. So if your loved one dies in July, the payment that arrives in August (which is payment for July) typically has to be returned, as well as any additional payments thereafter.

If the payment was direct deposit, the bank may send it back once the death is reported.

And in Missouri probate, this can cause real stress because the personal representative is trying to gather assets, pay the right expenses, and keep everything stable.

Takeaway: don’t spend the last Social Security deposit until you know it won’t be reversed.

If you’re dealing with this in Missouri, find us on Google.

Not legal advice; every case is fact-specific.

01/27/2026

“We already finished probate… so why did a check show up payable to the ESTATE?” 😬

This happens more than people think.

A family member did the whole Missouri probate.

They got discharged.

They thought it was DONE.

Then months later: refund check, old account, or “found money” made out to “The Estate of ___.”

And the bank won’t accept it because the personal representative isn’t the PR anymore.

In Missouri, once the court enters an order of discharge, the PR is released from the duties of PR.

If unadministered assets are discovered after final settlement and discharge, Missouri law allows the court to grant new letters for the remaining unadministered assets (often called an administrator d.b.n.) for good cause.

Takeaway: closed estates can still need cleanup.

If you’re in Missouri and you’ve got a surprise estate check, find us on Google and call.

Not legal advice; every case is fact-specific.

01/26/2026

“He’s only our half-brother… so he doesn’t get anything, right?”

That’s a real Missouri probate surprise. 😬

A family called this week:

No will.
No spouse.
No kids.

They assumed the estate would be split between the “real” siblings.

Then a half-sibling showed up.

In Missouri, if there’s no will, the law decides the heirs. With no spouse/children, the estate can go to parents and/or brothers and sisters (and their descendants).

And Missouri has a rule for half-siblings: if some siblings are whole-blood and some are half-blood, the half-blood sibling generally inherits half as much as the whole-blood sibling.

Takeaway: probate doesn’t care who was invited to Thanksgiving.

If you’re dealing with Missouri intestacy, find us on Google.

Not legal advice; every case is fact-specific.

Address

231 S Bemiston Avenue, Ste 850 PMB 15794
St. Louis, MO
63105

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+13142460578

Website

https://schnurbuschlaw.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Dan Schnurbusch Estate Planning posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Want your practice to be the top-listed Law Practice in St. Louis?