Trusts are very powerful tools for protecting oneself and establishing a meaningful legacy. Many modern estate plans make use of trusts. Although some people think of a trust as a tool for the incredibly wealthy, many middle-class and working-class households can also...
Protecting Your Legacy
Estate Planning
The Top 10 Estate Battles of All Time
Summary: This article highlights ten notable estate disputes involving celebrities and other famous individuals. Some of the most famous cases include Howard Hughes, who died without a will, leading to a decade-long legal battle; Anna Nicole Smith, who fought for a...
How to account for investments in an estate plan
Your estate plan can be as unique as you want it to be. Rather than just leaving umbrella instructions to divide your assets evenly among specific people, you can go into minute detail if you so desire. Addressing your most valuable property individually can be a...
What estate documents should I help my elderly parents obtain?
As a child, you probably had total faith in your parents. When you were a young adult, they were your example for how to establish a career and manage a household. As wonderful as it is to get multiple decades of adulthood to share with your parents, it can be hard to...
What are common mistakes that administrators make during probate?
Estate administration or serving as the executor of someone's estate is a difficult and often thankless job that can require months of unpaid work, detailed record-keeping and double-checking. Given how detail-oriented estate administration is, it is not surprising...
Do your loved one’s will and trust contradict each other?
You may have felt relieved to know that your parent prepared an estate plan before passing away. An estate plan can relieve a family of much confusion and tension because it clarifies the goals and wishes of the deceased. This may reduce or eliminate the chances of...
Is an affidavit of heirship right for your parent’s estate?
After your parent has died, you and your siblings have many things to take care of. You must see to the funeral arrangements, comfort loved ones who come from out of town and support one another in your grief. When these urgent matters pass, you will begin to focus on...
Regular estate planning updates and changes are necessary
Life is unpredictable, and each year can bring significant changes to person's life, financially, personally and professionally. Some of these changes are quite significant, and it's important that person's long-term planning documents reflect these changes. A Texas...
2nd marriages mean revisiting estate planning
When a first marriage does not work out, some people may worry that they will never find love again. However, numerous individuals in Texas and across the country do end up marrying again. When this happens, it is not only wise to consider who the marriage will impact...
Adult kids and parents may want to discuss estate planning
Many Texas residents may have already considered many aspects of their own estate plans. During this time, they may have wondered whether their parents had given any thought to estate planning. If the subject has never been discussed, adult children may want to talk...