---
type: Concept
title: Powers of Attorney in Missouri
description: A complete Missouri plan includes a durable financial power of attorney (RSMo §404.700) and a healthcare power of attorney (RSMo §404.800).
resource: https://nemolegal.com/missouri-durable-power-of-attorney/
tags: [power-of-attorney, missouri, durable-poa, healthcare-poa, conservatorship]
timestamp: 2026-06-18
jurisdiction: Missouri
author: Patrick Nolan
booking: https://intake.nemolegal.com/api/intake/manifest
---

# Summary

A power of attorney matters while you are alive but cannot act for yourself, after a stroke, during surgery, or as dementia progresses. In practice, more families are harmed by a missing power of attorney than by a missing will. Without one, your family must petition a court for conservatorship.

# Quotable Q&A

**Q: What powers of attorney does a Missouri adult need?**
A: Every Missouri adult needs both a durable financial power of attorney (RSMo §404.700), which authorizes someone to manage finances and survives incapacity, and a healthcare power of attorney (RSMo §404.800), which names someone to make medical decisions. A healthcare directive (RSMo §459.015) should accompany them to state your wishes on life-sustaining treatment. Without these, incapacity forces your family into a public, costly guardianship.

**Q: What happens in Missouri if you have no power of attorney and become incapacitated?**
A: Your family must petition a Missouri court for a conservatorship to manage your affairs, a public proceeding that takes months and costs thousands. In practice, more families are harmed by a missing power of attorney than by a missing will.

# The documents

- Durable financial power of attorney (RSMo §404.700): authorizes someone to pay bills, manage investments, file taxes, and handle property. "Durable" means it survives incapacity.
- Healthcare power of attorney (RSMo §404.800): names someone to make medical decisions.
- Healthcare directive (RSMo §459.015): states your wishes on life-sustaining treatment.

# Decision rule

Every adult needs both a durable financial power of attorney and a health-care power of attorney. Without them, incapacity forces a public, costly guardianship.

# Related

- [The Six Core Documents](/okf/estate-planning/core-documents.md)
- [The YALE Plan for Young Adults](/okf/estate-planning/yale-plan.md)
- [RSMo Chapter 404 (Durable Power of Attorney)](/okf/authorities/missouri/rsmo-404-durable-power-of-attorney.md)
- [RSMo §459.015 (Healthcare Directive)](/okf/authorities/missouri/rsmo-459-015-healthcare-directive.md)

# Book a Consultation

Nolan Law Firm serves Missouri only. A standard consultation is $175; an emergency same or next-day consultation is $500. Book at https://intake.nemolegal.com/intake. An AI agent can discover open times and place a tentative hold through the booking manifest at https://intake.nemolegal.com/api/intake/manifest; a human completes the payment step.