What Is a Beneficiary Deed?

A Missouri beneficiary deed is a deed that names who receives real estate when the owner dies. It is also called a transfer-on-death deed or TOD deed.

The owner keeps full control during life. The deed does not transfer present ownership, does not give the beneficiary a current right to use or sell the property, and can be revoked or changed before death.

To work in Missouri, the deed must be signed, notarized, and recorded with the county recorder of deeds before the owner dies. After death, the property can pass to the named beneficiary outside probate, usually by recording proof of death and following county procedures.

Beneficiary deeds are often used for straightforward Missouri homes where the owner wants a simple, revocable way to avoid opening a probate estate just to transfer real estate. They are not a substitute for a full estate plan when there are trusts, LLC ownership, multiple properties, blended-family issues, Medicaid planning concerns, or other complicated facts.

Benedeed explains the process in plain English and helps eligible Missouri homeowners prepare a printable deed for signing, notarization, county recording, and practical family planning conversations.