Common Questions About
Personal Financial Disclosure Statements

Who is required to file the personal financial disclosure statement?

Individuals required to file under Chapter 105, RSMo, are described in Section 105.483, RSMo as follows:

  1. Associate Circuit judges, circuit court judges, judges of the courts of appeals and of the supreme court, and candidates for any such office;
  2. Persons holding an elective office of the state, whether by election or appointment, and candidates for such elective office, except those running for or serving as county committee members for a political party pursuant to section 115.609, RSMo, or section 115.611, RSMo;
  3. The principal administrative or deputy officers or assistants serving the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state treasurer, state auditor and attorney general, which officers shall be designated by the respective elected state official;
  4. The members of each board or commission and the chief executive officer of each public entity created pursuant to the constitution or interstate compact or agreement and the members of each board of regents or curators and the chancellor or president of each state institution of higher education;
  5. The director and each assistant deputy director and the general counsel and the chief purchasing officer of each department, division and agency of state government;
  6. Any official or employee of the state authorized by law to promulgate rules and regulations or authorized by law to vote on the adoption of rules and regulations;
  7. Any member of a board or commission created by interstate compact or agreement, including the executive director and any Missouri resident who is a member of the bi-state development agency created pursuant to sections 70.370 to 70.440, RSMo;
  8. Any board member of a metropolitan sewer district authorized under section 30(a) of article VI of the state constitution;
  9. Any member of a commission appointed or operating pursuant to sections 64.650 to 64.690, RSMo, sections 67.650 to 67.658, RSMo, or sections 70.840 to 70.859, RSMo;
  10. The members, the chief executive officer and the chief purchasing officer of each board or commission which enters into or approves contracts for the expenditure of state funds;
  11. Each elected official, candidate for elective office, the chief administrative officer, the chief purchasing officer, and the general counsel, if employed full time, of each political subdivision with an annual operating budget in excess of one million dollars, and each official or employee of a political subdivision who is authorized by the governing body of the political subdivision to promulgate rules and regulations with the force of law or to vote on the adoption of rules and regulations with the force of law; unless the political subdivision adopts an ordinance, order or resolution pursuant to subsection 4 of section 105.485;
  12. Any person who is designated as a decision-making public servant by any of the officials or entities listed in subdivision (6) of section 105.450.

In reference to number eleven (11), a political subdivision is a special district or subdistrict of the state that has the authority to assess a property tax. Examples of political subdivisions are cities, villages, counties, schools, library districts, fire districts, ambulance districts, public water supply districts, nursing home districts, hospital districts, and road districts.

Please note that even if you are a volunteer and not compensated for your services for one of the above positions, you may still be required to file a personal financial disclosure statement.

Individuals and candidates serving in political subdivisions that have an annual operating budget under one million dollars are not required to file personal financial disclosure statements. However, it is the responsibility of that political subdivision to notify the Missouri Ethics Commission each year that their annual operating budget is under one million dollars.

As a candidate, am I required to file a personal financial disclosure statement?

Candidates for the following offices are required to file a personal financial disclosure statement:

  • Circuit Judge
  • Associate Circuit Judge
  • Judges of the Courts of Appeals and of the Supreme Court
  • Governor
  • Lieutenant Governor
  • Secretary of State
  • State Treasurer
  • State Auditor
  • Attorney General
  • State Senate
  • State Representative
  • Candidates for office in a political subdivision with an annual operating budget exceeding one million dollars are required to file a personal financial disclosure statement if the political subdivision does not have a policy in place pertaining to conflicts of interest. If the political subdivision does have a policy in place, you may be required to file a personal financial disclosure statement depending on the office you are seeking. A candidate for office will follow the same guidelines for filing a personal financial disclosure statement as a current office holder follows.

If you are still unsure about your requirement to file a personal financial disclosure statement as a candidate, please contact your local election authority or the Missouri Ethics Commission for further direction.

Who decides which individuals are required to file a personal financial disclosure statement?

Most of the individuals that fall within the description of a required filer are designated to file a personal financial disclosure statement by the entity in which they are serving. Each of the entities listed in Section 105.450 (6), RSMo are required to provide the Missouri Ethics Commission with the names of individuals required to file a personal financial disclosure statement. The entities listed in Section 105.450 (6) are as follows:

  1. The governing body of the political subdivision with a general operating budget in excess of one million dollars;
  2. A department director;
  3. A judge vested with judicial power by article V of the Constitution of the state of Missouri;
  4. Any commission empowered by interstate compact;
  5. A statewide elected official;
  6. The speaker of the house of representatives;
  7. The president pro tem of the senate;
  8. The president or chancellor of a state institution of higher education.

If you do not understand why you were designated, please contact the entity that designated you as an individual required to file a personal financial disclosure statement. Each entity is responsible for notifying designated individuals of their requirement to file a personal financial disclosure statement. The Missouri Ethics Commission is not responsible for designating required filers for the entities listed above. The Missouri Ethics Commission is only responsible for assuring compliance with this requirement. If you are still unsure as to whether or not you are required to file a personal financial disclosure statement, please contact the Missouri Ethics Commission. The Missouri Ethics Commission may be able to guide you, assuming that the entity that you are associated with has provided us with a list of individuals designated to file a personal financial disclosure statement.

What is my deadline for filing a personal financial disclosure? What time period should my disclosure statement cover?

There are three possible filing deadlines for individuals required to file a personal financial disclosure statement. However, if you are required to file for more than one position with different deadlines, you should always file with respect to the earlier deadline. According to section 105.487, RSMo, "…no person is required to file more than one financial interest statement in any calendar year."

  1. If you are designated to file a personal financial disclosure statement and are not newly appointed or a candidate, then you are required to file after January 1, but no later than May 1 of each year. Your personal financial disclosure statement must either be received in our office no later than 5:00 p.m. on May 1, or have a postmark of April 30 to be considered timely filed. For individuals required to file May 1, the time period covered by the statement should be the calendar year ending the previous December 31. For example, if your personal financial disclosure statement is due on May 1, 2000, then your time period would cover January 1, 1999, through December 31, 1999.
  2. If you are newly appointed or employed to a position in which you are required to file a personal financial disclosure statement, then your deadline for filing the statement is thirty (30) days from the date you were appointed. Your personal financial disclosure statement must be received in our office no later than 5:00 p.m. on the thirtieth day after your appointment or have a postmark of the day previous to the deadline to be considered timely filed. The time period covered by the statement should be the calendar year ending the immediately preceding December thirty-first. For example, if you are appointed to a position sometime between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2000, then your time period covered would be from January 1, 1999, through December 31, 1999.
  3. If you are a candidate that is required to file a personal financial disclosure statement, then your deadline for filing a personal financial disclosure statement is fourteen (14) days from the closing date of filing for candidacy. Your personal financial disclosure statement must be received in our office no later than 5:00 p.m. on the fourteenth day following the closing date for filing for candidacy, or postmarked the day previous to the deadline to be considered timely filed. The time period covered by the statement should be the twelve months previous to the closing date for filing for candidacy. For example, if the closing date for filing for candidacy was March 28, 2000, then the deadline for filing your personal financial disclosure statement would be April 11, 2000. The time period covered by your statement would be March 28, 1999, through March 27, 2000.

Where am I required to file my personal financial disclosure statement?

Every individual required to file a personal financial disclosure statement should file with the Missouri Ethics Commission excluding judges of courts of law. Judges are required to file their personal financial disclosure statements with the clerk of the supreme court. Individuals that are designated to file a personal financial disclosure statement by a political subdivision that has enacted a policy relating to conflicts of interest are required to file a personal financial disclosure statement with the Missouri Ethics Commission and the clerk of the governing body of their political subdivision. If the entity or political subdivision that you are associated with does not have a policy relating to conflicts of interest, then you are only required to file with the Missouri Ethics Commission.

Which personal financial disclosure statement am I required to file?

The Missouri Ethics Commission has two types of personal financial disclosure statements. The form titled "Personal Financial Disclosure Statement' is referred to as the 'long' form since it requests the most information. The form titled 'Financial Disclosure Statement for Political Subdivisions' is referred to as the 'short' form. The 'short' form is only filed by individuals that are designated by political subdivisions that have enacted a policy relating to conflicts of interest. Everyone else is required to file the 'long' form. The 'long' form is always acceptable since it includes all of the information requested on the 'short' form. However, the 'short' form is not acceptable if you serve an entity that does not have their own policy relating to conflicts of interest. Please keep in mind that state statute only allows political subdivisions to adopt a policy relating to conflicts of interest.

If you are designated to file a personal financial disclosure statement for more than one position and one position allows the short and the other requires the long, you are required to file the 'long' form. However, state statute provides that no one is required to file more than one personal financial disclosure statement per calendar year. Therefore, the 'long' form would meet your filing requirement and you would not be required to file the 'short' form in addition to the 'long' form.

What are the penalties for filing my personal financial disclosure statement after the filing deadline?

The Missouri Ethics Commission cannot waive or reduce any late filing fees associated with the personal financial disclosure statement filing requirement. Penalties for failure to file a personal financial disclosure statement may include, late filing fees, withholding of compensation (salary) or remuneration, removal from office, or removal from the ballot. As stated above, there are no extensions granted by the Missouri Ethics Commission regarding personal financial disclosure statement deadlines. If your personal financial disclosure statement is received after the filing deadline, there is a late filing fee of $10 a day for each day that the statement is late. If the designated filer does not file by the required deadline and receives compensation or remuneration from public funds, they will not be paid until the statement is filed. If the disclosure statement remains unfiled, the Missouri Ethics Commission will send a certified notice to the designated filer reminding them of their requirement to file and the fee associated with failure to file. If the designated filer does not file a personal financial disclosure statement within thirty days of receipt of the certified notice, the fee is raised to one hundred dollars ($100) per day for each day it is late. At this time it is also possible to be suspended or removed from your position or office for failure to file a personal financial disclosure statement. If an individual is required to file a personal financial disclosure statement as a candidate and fails to meet the filing deadline, the Missouri Ethics Commission is required by law to inform the official who accepted the candidate filing that the candidate is disqualified. For further information regarding penalties for untimely filing or failure to file a personal financial disclosure statement, please refer to Sections 105.492 and 105.963.3, RSMo.

Tips on completing your personal financial disclosure statement.

  • When filling out your personal financial disclosure statement you are required to disclose your spouse's information and information regarding your dependent children.
  • Read each question very carefully. If the question does not apply to you, please indicate 'none' or 'not applicable' in the space provided. This will show that you have acknowledged each question.
  • If the personal financial disclosure statement does not provide enough space for your response, please feel free to include an attachment in order to provide all of the requested information.
  • You are not required to disclose any dollar amounts, only sources.
  • In box one (1) of the first page indicate the appropriate time period covered by the statement. If you are unsure of what time period to cover, please refer to the section titled "What time period should my disclosure statement cover?"
  • In reference to box six (6), you should provide the name of the entity that designated you as an individual required to file a personal financial disclosure statement. If you are a candidate, please provide the name of the entity in which you are running for office. Box seven (7) requests your title, which is where you should list your position with the entity. If you are a candidate, please indicate that you are a candidate and the position you are seeking.
  • If you are unsure about a whether or not something is required to be disclosed, it is suggested to disclose if you are in doubt. There is no penalty for over disclosure. This may also avoid the appearance of concealing possible conflicts of interest.
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