--- ames_version: "0.9" canonical_url: "https://heritagelawpartners.com/services/trust-administration/" publisher: "Heritage Law Partners" title: "Trust Administration | Heritage Law Partners" locale: "en" permissions: index: 1 ephemeral: 1 store: 1 train: 1 content: zone: "article" --- [//]: # (ames:zone site-wrapper) [//]: # (ames:zone site-header) [//]: # (ames:zone div) [//]: # (ames:zone div) [//]: # (ames:zone div) [//]: # (ames:zone site-header) ![Heritage Law Partners](https://heritagelawpartners.com/assets/images/temp/logo-lg.png) [//]: # (ames:zone div) [//]: # (ames:zone div) [//]: # (ames:zone site-header) - [Client Login](https://clients.heritagelawpartners.com/) - [(314) 325 -9444](tel:3143259444) [//]: # (ames:zone div) [//]: # (ames:zone primary-navigation) - [Home](https://heritagelawpartners.com/) - [Services](https://heritagelawpartners.com/services) - [Estate Planning](https://heritagelawpartners.com/services/estate-planning) - [Special Needs Planning](https://heritagelawpartners.com/services/special-needs-planning) - [Elder Law](https://heritagelawpartners.com/services/elder-law) - [Trust Administration](https://heritagelawpartners.com/services/trust-administration) - [Probate](https://heritagelawpartners.com/services/probate-and-estate-administration) - [Adult Guardianships](https://heritagelawpartners.com/services/adult-guardianships) - [Entity Formation](https://heritagelawpartners.com/services/entity-formation) - [Articles](https://heritagelawpartners.com/resources/articles) - [About Us](https://heritagelawpartners.com/about-us) - [Contact](https://heritagelawpartners.com/contact) [//]: # (ames:zone page-main) [//]: # (ames:zone article) [//]: # (ames:zone section) [//]: # (ames:zone article) # Trust Administration [//]: # (ames:zone section) [//]: # (ames:zone div) [//]: # (ames:zone div) [//]: # (ames:zone div) [//]: # (ames:zone article) ### Honoring the Plan Your Loved One Put in Place When a loved one passes away and their estate is held in a trust, the trust must still be properly administered. While trust administration avoids the delays and costs of probate court, it is not automatic. The successor trustee named in the trust takes on a legal responsibility to manage and distribute assets according to the trust's terms, and the process involves specific steps that must be handled correctly. At Heritage Law Partners, we guide successor trustees through every stage of trust administration, ensuring the process is handled efficiently and in full compliance with the trust document and Missouri law. ##### What Trust Administration Involves After the trust maker's death, the successor trustee steps into a fiduciary role with legal obligations to the trust's beneficiaries. This typically includes notifying beneficiaries and relevant parties, obtaining date-of-death valuations for trust assets, managing and protecting assets during the administration period, paying outstanding debts, expenses, and taxes, filing any required tax returns including a final personal return and potentially a trust tax return, and distributing assets to beneficiaries according to the trust's terms. Even with a well-drafted trust, questions arise. Beneficiaries may have concerns about timing or distributions. Assets may need to be sold or retitled. Tax decisions may need to be made that affect the beneficiaries for years to come. Having experienced legal counsel ensures these decisions are made correctly the first time. ##### When to Contact an Attorney If you have been named as a successor trustee, you don't have to navigate the process alone. Many trustees are family members stepping into this role for the first time, and the responsibilities can feel unfamiliar. We help you understand your obligations, stay on track with required timelines, and avoid the common mistakes that can lead to personal liability or disputes among beneficiaries. [//]: # (ames:zone related) [//]: # (ames:zone div) [//]: # (ames:zone related) ### Related Pages & Resources Explore our practice areas and resources to learn more about estate planning, special needs planning, and how Heritage Law Partners can help protect your family's future. 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[//]: # (ames:zone section) [//]: # (ames:zone div) [//]: # (ames:zone article) ## Latest Articles on Estate Planning, Elder Law, and Special Needs Planning [//]: # (ames:zone div) [//]: # (ames:zone div) [//]: # (ames:zone div) [//]: # (ames:zone div) [//]: # (ames:zone article) ![photo of a couple considering whether they need a will or a trust](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ea5fe8en/production/e25717260e3b599648fa49084c725a2ae71937a1-4096x2160.jpg) [//]: # (ames:zone div) [//]: # (ames:zone article) ##### [Revocable Living Trust vs. Will: Which Does a Missouri Couple Actually Need?](https://heritagelawpartners.com/resources/articles/revocable-living-trust-vs-will-which-does-a-missouri-couple-actually-need) Most Missouri couples assume a will is enough. Learn when a revocable living trust makes more sense, what it actually does, and how to know which plan is right for your family. [//]: # (ames:zone div) [//]: # (ames:zone article) ![photo of a baby - an example of when to update a trust](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ea5fe8en/production/8ef205bcdc35417a36d878d0c0539af369d1b2fc-3072x2048.jpg) [//]: # (ames:zone div) [//]: # (ames:zone article) ##### [When Should You Update Your Trust? A Guide for Missouri Families](https://heritagelawpartners.com/resources/articles/when-should-you-update-your-trust-a-guide-for-missouri-families) A trust is not a one-and-done document. Learn which life events require an update, what goes wrong when families skip the review, and when to call your estate planning attorney. [//]: # (ames:zone div) [//]: # (ames:zone article) ![photo of a child with down's syndrome who will need a special needs trust](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ea5fe8en/production/35159a6b56b3e7c86df92d66ad0afecb8865fca3-8256x5504.jpg) [//]: # (ames:zone div) [//]: # (ames:zone article) ##### [What Is a Special Needs Trust and How Does It Protect My Child’s Benefits?](https://heritagelawpartners.com/resources/articles/what-is-a-special-needs-trust-and-how-does-it-protect-my-childs-benefits) A special needs trust lets your child with a disability receive an inheritance without losing SSI or Medicaid. Learn the difference between first-party and third-party SNTs and how to choose the right one. [//]: # (ames:zone section) [//]: # (ames:zone div) [//]: # (ames:zone div) [//]: # (ames:zone article) ![](https://heritagelawpartners.com/assets/images/temp/ico-quotes-lg.png) > Eliana is the most helpful attorney I have ever worked with. She is always kind, and extremely efficient in what she does. She is wonderful attorney who will treat you with respect and get the job done right. Heritage Law Partners Client [//]: # (ames:zone consultation) [//]: # (ames:zone div) [//]: # (ames:zone consultation) ## Schedule a Consultation ### Get Experienced Guidance When It Matters Most [//]: # (ames:zone consultation) Take the first step towards comprehensive estate planning, special needs planning, or probate services with a personalized consultation with one of our attorneys. 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