Buchanan County, Missouri Probate
Cost Calculator

Probate in Buchanan County, Missouri is handled by the Buchanan County Circuit Court, Probate Division in St. Joseph.

Missouri's statutory percentage schedule applies here, along with local filing procedures that affect timelines and costs.

The Buchanan County Circuit Court, Probate Division in St. Joseph processes a moderate number of estate filings, and cases often move more efficiently here than in the state's busiest courts.

The typical probate timeline runs 6-12 months.

Missouri's six-tier statutory fee schedule (RSMo § 473.153) ranges from 5% on the first $5,000 to 2% above $1M, applying to both executors and attorneys. Independent vs. supervised administration affects cost and timeline.

Full details: Missouri Probate Calculator.

The Buchanan County Circuit Court, Probate Division is located at 411 Jules St, Saint Joseph MO 64501. The court clerk can be reached at (816) 271-1462.

Visit the court's website for current forms, fee schedules, and filing instructions.

Office hours: Mon–Fri 8:00 AM–5:00 PM.

• Missouri's six-tier statutory schedule (RSMo § 473.153) applies to both executor and attorney fees — 5% on the first $5,000 down to 2% above $1M.
• Local court filing fees at the Buchanan County Circuit Court, Probate Division in St.
• Joseph are separate from the statutory compensation schedule.
• Contact the court for the current fee schedule.

• Estate administration in Buchanan County proceeds through the Buchanan County Circuit Court, Probate Division in St.
• Joseph.
• Missouri's Probate Division handles the appointment of personal representatives, approval of inventories, and oversight of the administration process.
• The process begins with filing a petition for probate (testate) or letters of administration (intestate), followed by a hearing and the appointment of the personal representative.

• Missouri distinguishes between supervised and independent administration.
• Under supervised administration — the default unless the will provides otherwise — the personal representative must seek court approval for most significant transactions, including real property sales and distributions.
• Independent administration, when authorized, reduces court involvement and accelerates the timeline.
• In Buchanan County, the typical probate process runs 6-12 months, though scheduling flexibility in smaller jurisdictions can sometimes expedite straightforward matters.

Missouri allows estates valued below $40,000 to use a small estate affidavit to transfer assets without formal probate. In Buchanan County — the 14th most populated of Missouri's 115 jurisdictions — the affidavit is presented directly to the institutions holding the decedent's assets rather than filed with the Buchanan County Circuit Court, Probate Division.

The affidavit can be executed no earlier than 30 days after the decedent's death and is available for both testate and intestate estates.

In a jurisdiction like Buchanan County, ranked in the middle tier of Missouri's counties by population, the small estate affidavit handles a meaningful share of estate transfers. It's also worth considering Missouri's refusal-to-probate procedure, which provides an additional simplified option for estates where no interested party wishes to open a formal case.

• Getting an accurate cost estimate before you start probate in Buchanan County helps you budget for Missouri's statutory percentage schedule plus local filing fees at the Buchanan County Circuit Court, Probate Division.
• The clerk's office in St.
• Joseph can answer procedural questions about required forms and hearing schedules.

• This free probate calculator applies Missouri's specific rules automatically — enter the estate's approximate value to get an instant breakdown of expected fees.
• No account required.