From inventory through closing
How Missouri probate tracks property and money from inventory through final distribution.
The inventory establishes the starting estate. The accounting or closing records explain what happened next. Closing connects the property, claims, expenses, taxes, distributions, and remaining reserves so the Personal Representative can be discharged.
Reviewed August 28, 2026
One connected financial record
Three records tell the estate’s financial story from beginning to end.
The inventory lists the probate property and its value when the owner died. The estate records then show every dollar received, every bill and claim paid, every sale, and every distribution. The closing documents use those records to show the court and beneficiaries what happened to the property and that the correct people received what remained.
The Personal Representative gathers and preserves the supporting records. The attorney uses them to prepare the required filings, address unfinished obligations, and complete the closing process.
The opening financial record
What belongs in the probate inventory?
Probate property
List property the estate has authority to administer. Do not automatically include assets passing to a surviving owner, named beneficiary, or trustee.
Ownership interest
Identify what the deceased person actually owned. A partial business interest, shared real estate, or secured claim may require more explanation than a simple account balance.
Date of death value
Use appropriate evidence for the asset. Statements, appraisals, market information, and professional valuations may be required.
The inventory is due within 30 days after Letters are granted.
The court may allow more time. Missing records or uncertain ownership should be investigated promptly rather than ignored. Later discovered property may require a supplemental filing.