St. Louis Affidavit of Heirship Attorney

An annual survey of Americans and their estate planning goals revealed that since 2015, the percentage of individuals with wills or other estate planning documents in place has declined. The percentage for middle-aged adults 35 to 54 years old surveyed in 2021 declined to 22.5 percent from 37 percent just two years earlier. Older adults, 55 years in age and beyond, declined from 60 to 44 percent.

In other words, it’s typical for Americans to have no plans in place for the time when they’re gone. It’s not a pleasant topic to face, and according to the survey, one of the reasons given for not executing a will is that the respondents simply didn’t know how.

If you lose a loved one without a will, you probably have questions about how to identify heirs and make a just distribution of the deceased’s estate. You also may have heard about the complexities of the court process known as probate.

Depending on what’s included in the deceased’s estate, there is a legal instrument known as an affidavit of heirship that can both identify heirs and make sure the estate is distributed properly.

If you’ve lost a loved one without a will in or around St. Louis, Missouri, or in neighboring Chesterfield, contact my firm at TdD Attorneys at Law. As an estate planning and probate attorney experienced in executing affidavits of heirship, I can help you complete one that will expedite the estate transfer process.