Missouri estate questions.. funeral expenses, possessions, etc

[outsideIn]

I am writing on behalf of my father regarding his mother's estate. His mother passed away a month ago in Missouri. She was a widow with two grown stepchildren from her marriage and a natural child from a previous marriage. Who is considered her legal heir? What is considered her estate?

All bank accounts were listed as joint tenants or as payable upon death. Once the accounts were settled, one stepchild received approximately 55K, the other about 20K and her natural child about 80K. All three children, step and natural, inherited from my grandmother in the above amounts.

My grandmother deeded the house payable upon her death equally to her two stepchildren and her natural child. What about the possessions in the house? At this point, to whom do they belong? What about her jewelry? Who has rights to these things? Is it possible that one of these three can force the sale of personal items for cash?

What of her funeral expenses? Are funeral expenses considered an expense of the estate to be shared equally by the three of them (her two stepchildren and her natural child)?

What of the house? Can one party refuse to allow the sale of the house if they're not happy with the dispersement of the contents of her home and monies?

Thank you for any help you can provide.

 

[lawrat]

I am a law school graduate. What I offer is mere information, not to be construed as forming an attorney client relationship.

IF she deeded them/named beneficiaries, those are the people who rightfully took.

As to the residue of the estate, i..e her jewelery and stuff, I am not sure. You would need to check with an estate planning attorney in Missouri to see if there were ANY wills/trusts, etc.