Missouri Administrator & Executor Bond

Probate Bonds From $100 – Set by the Court

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A Missouri executor bond or Missouri administrator bond — together known as a probate bond, personal representative bond, or fiduciary bond — is required by the Probate Division of a Missouri Circuit Court before a personal representative can manage the estate of a person who has died, unless excused. Under RSMo § 473.157, every personal representative must execute and file a bond approved by the judge or clerk before entering on their duties, and letters will not issue without it. Premiums start at $100 and are paid from estate funds as an expense of administration.

Missouri Probate Bond Pricing

Premiums are a small percentage of the required bond amount and are paid from estate funds. Sample pricing for qualified applicants:

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Executor, Administrator, or Trustee — Which Missouri Probate Bond You Need

All three cover a fiduciary who manages estate or trust assets. Missouri uses “personal representative” as the umbrella term for executors and administrators. Which one applies — and whether a bond is required at all — depends on how you were appointed:

Why Does the Missouri Probate Division Require a Bond?

Estate administration in Missouri is governed by Chapter 473 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri, and probate is handled by the Probate Division of the Circuit Court in each of the state's 114 counties plus the City of St. Louis. When a person dies, someone must be appointed to pay the estate's debts and distribute what remains to the rightful heirs and devisees. That personal representative controls assets that belong to other people, and the bond is the financial safeguard against mismanagement. Under RSMo § 473.157, the bond is conditioned on faithfully administering the estate, accounting for and delivering all money and property, and performing all things required by law or court order — and under § 473.170 it runs to the state for the benefit of interested persons.

The exceptions live in RSMo § 473.160: no bond is required when the will expresses the testator's wish that none be required (though the court keeps discretion to order one anyway, at appointment or any time after), when a corporate fiduciary certified by the Missouri director of finance serves, or when the court finds on good cause that bond is unnecessary for the protection of interested parties. If the representative causes a loss, valid claims are paid from the bond, and the representative must reimburse the surety. The bond protects the estate, not the representative — and its premium is a proper expense of the estate.

How the Court Sets Your Bond Amount — and How to Reduce It

Under RSMo § 473.157, the judge or clerk fixes the bond in the amount they consider necessary for the protection of interested parties. In practice, courts customarily set it around the value of the estate's personal property plus a year's expected income — but the figure is the court's call, so wait for it before purchasing. Your court paperwork or the probate clerk will confirm the amount.

Missouri builds in ways to keep the figure down and keep it current. Estate assets may be deposited with a court-approved depositary — withdrawable only on court order — and the bond reduced proportionally under § 473.160. And under § 473.197, the clerk must review bond adequacy whenever an inventory, appraisement, or settlement is filed or real estate is sold, with the court ordering an increase or reduction whenever the bond no longer fits the estate.

Independent vs. Supervised Administration in Missouri

Missouri estates run on one of two tracks, and the bond requirement applies to both. Independent administration under RSMo §§ 473.780–473.845 — available when the will requests it or all heirs and devisees consent — lets the personal representative administer the estate without ongoing court supervision. Supervised administration keeps court approval over settlements, sales, and distributions. Going independent does not eliminate the bond: § 473.157 still applies unless the bond is waived or excused under § 473.160. Probate is filed with the Probate Division of the Circuit Court in the county where the decedent was domiciled — one for each of Missouri's 114 counties plus the independent City of St. Louis.

How To Get Your Missouri Probate Bond

1. Get appointed and receive your bond amount. The Probate Division determines whether bond is required under RSMo §§ 473.157 and 473.160 and fixes the amount for the protection of interested parties. Wait for this figure before purchasing — you may also learn the bond was waived by the will or excused by the court.
2. Request your quote. Apply online or call with your court documentation. For most standard estates we can quote from the bond amount alone; larger or more complex estates may involve a review of the will and the applicant's credit.
3. Complete the short application. Provide the personal representative's information and the estate details.
4. File your bond and receive your letters. We execute the bond with the surety's Power of Attorney attached so you can file it with the Probate Division. The court then issues your letters testamentary or letters of administration, and you can begin settling the estate.

Bond Details at a Glance

• Bond Name: Missouri Executor Bond / Missouri Administrator Bond (Probate Bond)
• Also Known As: Personal representative bond, fiduciary bond, estate bond
• Bond Amount: Fixed by the judge or clerk for the protection of interested parties — customarily around the personal property value plus a year's income (RSMo § 473.157)
• Starting Premium: $100 for a $10,000 bond; paid from estate funds as an expense of administration
• Obligee: Runs to the State of Missouri for the benefit of interested persons (RSMo § 473.170)
• Governing Law: RSMo Chapter 473 — 473.157 (bond required, amount), 473.160 (when excused, depositary reduction), 473.197 (increase and reduction), 473.780 (independent administration)
• Waiver: Will waives it (court may still require, then or later); corporate fiduciaries certified under § 362.590 exempt; court may excuse on good cause, commonly for sole distributees
• Court: Probate Division of the Circuit Court — 114 counties plus the City of St. Louis, in 46 judicial circuits
• Attorney Required: No

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Missouri administrator or executor bond?
A probate bond required by the Probate Division of a Missouri Circuit Court under RSMo § 473.157 before a personal representative can manage a deceased person's estate. It guarantees faithful administration and protects the estate's heirs, devisees, and creditors.

Can the bond be waived?
Yes. If the will expresses the testator's wish that no bond be required, none is required — though the court keeps discretion to order one at appointment or any later time. Corporate fiduciaries certified by the Missouri director of finance are exempt, and the court can excuse bond on good cause, most commonly where the representative is the sole distributee.

Do administrators need a bond in Missouri?
Almost always. With no will to waive it, an administrator must execute and file a bond before letters of administration issue, unless the court finds on good cause that bond is unnecessary for the protection of interested parties.

How much does a Missouri probate bond cost?
Premiums start at $100 for a $10,000 bond and scale with the court-fixed amount — $135 at $25,000, $260 at $50,000, $460 at $100,000, and up. The premium is paid from estate funds as a proper expense of administration.

How is the bond amount determined?
The judge or clerk fixes it under RSMo § 473.157 in the amount they consider necessary for the protection of interested parties — customarily around the value of the personal property plus a year's expected income. The court provides the figure; you don't calculate it yourself.

Can the amount be reduced?
Yes. Estate assets can be deposited with a court-approved depositary, withdrawable only on court order, and the bond reduced proportionally under § 473.160. The clerk also reviews bond adequacy at each inventory and settlement under § 473.197, and the court reduces the penalty when it exceeds what the estate needs.

Which Missouri court handles probate?
The Probate Division of the Circuit Court in the county where the decedent was domiciled — one for each of Missouri's 114 counties plus the independent City of St. Louis, organized into 46 judicial circuits.

What happens if a claim is filed against the bond?
The surety pays valid claims — from mismanagement, fraud, or failure to follow the will or Missouri law — up to the bond amount, and the personal representative must reimburse the surety in full. The bond protects the estate, not the representative.

Missouri Probate Court Directory

Probate in Missouri is handled by the Probate Division of the Circuit Court in each of the state's 114 counties plus the City of St. Louis. Find your county below for the court's website, phone number, and mailing address.

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