A will can clear Missouri's basics and still get thrown out in a fight. Proper witnesses, clear wording, and a self-proving affidavit keep it standing.

Missouri won't accept an unwitnessed handwritten will. Miss one statutory mark and the court treats you as having died with no will at all.

A valid Missouri will names your heirs, an executor, and a guardian for your kids. What it won't do is keep your estate out of probate.

Good intentions don't count in Missouri. Skip the signature, the two witnesses, or sound mind, and the state picks your heirs instead of you.

Your will only controls probate assets in Missouri. Accounts with named beneficiaries, joint property, and trust assets pass outside it entirely.

One missing witness or signature can void your Missouri will completely, and intestacy law decides who gets the house and who gets nothing.

Raising a grandchild isn't enough to make medical or school calls in Missouri. Guardianship gives you that authority without ending the parents' rights.

A single nursing home stay can drain a lifetime of savings. Missouri elder law covers Medicaid planning to protect assets before a crisis hits.

A gift or inheritance can cost a loved one their Medicaid or SSI. A Missouri special needs trust protects the money and the benefits both.

Oral wills don't count in Missouri unless you're active-duty military in peril. A valid one takes writing, your signature, and two witnesses.