MO-1041: Missouri Fiduciary Income Return and Instructions (2024)

Who files this form

File Form MO-1041 for:

• Every resident estate or trust required to file federal Form 1041.
• Every nonresident estate or trust with any taxable income from Missouri sources, or gross income of $600 or more from Missouri sources.

A resident estate is the estate of someone domiciled in Missouri at death. For trusts, residency depends on the creator’s Missouri domicile and having at least one income beneficiary who was a Missouri resident on the last day of the taxable year. The text provides separate rules for trusts created by a will and trusts that became irrevocable.

When it's due

• 2024 calendar-year returns: File by April 15, 2025.
• Fiscal-year returns beginning in 2024: File by the 15th day of the fourth month after the taxable year closes.
• If the due date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the return and payment are timely if filed on the next business day.

An extension to file does not extend the time to pay. If you expect to owe Missouri fiduciary tax, file Form MO-60 with your payment by the return’s original due date.

What you'll need

Have these ready:

• A completed federal Form 1041 and supporting schedules, including Schedule K-1. Attach copies to the Missouri return.
• The estate or trust’s federal identification number, fiduciary information, and, for an estate, the decedent’s Social Security number.
• A list of all beneficiaries, including their home addresses to verify residency. The form also requests beneficiary Social Security numbers.
• A copy of Form MO-60, if filed, or the federal extension, Form 7004.
• Documents requested to support deductions, adjustments, credits, and payments.

Depending on your situation, additional documents include:

• Form MO-NRF: For applicable nonresident estate, trust, or beneficiary reporting.
• Form 5802: To calculate the federal income tax deduction.
• Form MO-CR and the other state’s return: To claim credit for income tax paid to another state.
• Form MO-TC and applicable schedules, certificates, and federal forms: To claim miscellaneous tax credits.
• A separate ESBT schedule: Showing Electing Small Business Trust income and deductions.
• Amended-return documents: A statement explaining the amendment, copies of the federal changes, and the federal amended return.

How to file

Complete the federal return first, then complete Form MO-1041 and the applicable schedules. The fiduciary must sign the Missouri return.

File electronically: Estates and trusts may file Form MO-1041 through the joint federal and state Modernized E-File (MeF) system. Filing information is available at Missouri’s fiduciary tax webpage.

File by mail: Send the return, required attachments, and any payment to:

Missouri Department of Revenue

P.O. Box 3815

Jefferson City, MO 65105-3815

Pay by check or money order: The text states that Missouri does not accept electronic payments for MO-1041. Make payment in U.S. funds payable to Missouri Director of Revenue. Write the federal identification number and a daytime telephone number on the payment. Mail it to the address above.

Common mistakes

• Leaving the return unsigned. The return is not valid without the fiduciary’s signature.
• Treating an extension as extra time to pay. A 5 percent addition to tax applies if tax is not paid by the original due date.
• Using mismatched fiscal-year dates. The Missouri return’s beginning and ending dates must match the federal return.
• Not rounding amounts. Round 1 through 49 cents down and 50 through 99 cents up to the nearest whole dollar.
• Missing required credit documentation. Credit for income tax paid to another state will not be allowed without that state’s return.
• Giving only a general description of exempt U.S. obligations. Identify the specific securities. Failure to do so results in disallowance of the deduction.
• Sending cash or postdated checks. Do not send cash. Checks are cashed upon receipt, so do not postdate them.

Questions people ask

Does a federal extension also cover the Missouri return?

Yes, if you receive a federal fiduciary filing extension and do not expect to owe additional Missouri fiduciary tax. Attach a copy of federal Form 7004 when you file the Missouri return. The extension does not extend the payment deadline.

Can a resident estate or trust stop after the filing questions?

If the estate or trust is a resident and answers “No” to all questions F through I, the form says not to complete the remainder. If Missouri-source income was distributed to nonresident beneficiaries, complete Form MO-NRF, Parts 1, 2, 4, and 6.

What if a nonresident estate or trust has both Missouri and non-Missouri income?

Check the box in item K, omit Lines 1 through 9, and attach Form MO-NRF. Enter the amount from Form MO-NRF, Part 5, Line 9 on MO-1041, Line 10.

How do I amend a Missouri fiduciary return?

Use Form MO-1041 and check the amended-return box. Complete the entire return with corrected figures. Attach a statement explaining the amendment, a copy of the federal changes, and the federal amended return.

Is the excess federal exemption allowed on a final return?

No. The text specifically says the excess federal exemption on Line 9 is not allowed on final returns.

Official sources

• https://dor.mo.gov/forms/MO-1041_2024.pdf