Being an adult child can come with many responsibilities. Aside from caring for their own children, many Texas residents may also find themselves taking on a caretaker role for their parents. In particular, they may hope that their parents have created estate plans that will help with the probate process when that time comes. Of course, the idea of making a plan may be met with some resistance.
Some parents may not think that this step is necessary due to the small size of their estates. However, not having a plan is one of the biggest estate planning mistakes. When there is no plan in place, surviving family members will have to contend with the fact that assets will be distributed through intestate laws, which generally mean that property will go to the closest surviving relatives.
When families get along well, this type of arrangement may not seem like a bad turn of events, but not all families get along. Some individuals may have siblings or even children that they have little or no contact with, and as a result, they may not want those individuals to receive a portion of the estate. If no plan exists, however, there is a very real possibility that these individuals could inherit some of the estate.
Probate proceedings can easily become complicated, and if surviving family members feel that the process is not going as it should, litigation could end up taking place. As a result, individuals who hold the role of estate administrators could find themselves in difficult positions. Fortunately, Texas residents can enlist the help of probate attorneys who could help guide them through the proceedings.