A power of attorney is one of the most important — and most overlooked — documents in a Texas estate plan. It allows you to designate a trusted person to make financial or medical decisions on your behalf if you become unable to make them yourself. Without a valid power…
When a Texas resident dies without a will — known legally as dying “intestate” — state law determines who inherits their property. Under Texas Estates Code § 201.001 et seq., the decedent’s assets pass to surviving family members according to a fixed statutory formula. The results can be surprising, especially…
Every Texas estate plan starts with a basic question: should you use a will, a revocable living trust, or both? The answer depends on the size and nature of your assets, your family situation, and how much control you want over the distribution process. A will takes effect only after…
Affidavits of heirship sound simple: two disinterested people sign a sworn statement about family history, and—on paper—title passes to the heirs. For Dallas landlords with multiple rentals, the tool can look like a quick alternative to probate. Sometimes it is. Other times, title companies balk, lenders refuse to refinance, and…
Brokerages do not move money just because you show them a court order. If you are the executor for a Dallas estate, you will face account freezes, transfer holds, and requests for a Medallion Signature Guarantee before a single share transfers or a check cuts. When you plan the sequence—authority,…
Your life now lives online: email, cloud drives, photo libraries, banking apps, social media, password managers, and perhaps cryptocurrency wallets. Without clear instructions, loved ones can be locked out for months, losing irreplaceable memories and, in the case of crypto, real money. Travis County courts respect digital-asset directives when they…
Moving to Austin brings new routines, new licenses, and—if you are married—new rules about property. Texas is a community-property state, which means most assets you and your spouse acquire during marriage belong to both of you. With one short document, a Community-Property Survivorship Agreement, you can turn that shared ownership…
If you are married, federal estate tax “portability” lets the survivor use any unused estate tax exemption from the first spouse to die. That carryover—called the deceased spouse’s unused exclusion (DSUE)—can be worth millions of dollars in tax savings for your family. The catch is simple but strict: you must…
Your Houston homestead may be the most valuable and emotionally important asset you own. You want your family to keep it, avoid long court delays, and steer clear of unexpected Medicaid Estate Recovery Program (MERP) claims. A Texas enhanced life estate deed—often called a Lady Bird deed—can help you do…
The Texas State Law Library recently updated its guidance on transfer-on-death deeds (TODDs), giving Austin-area homeowners clearer direction on how these deeds work and when they make sense. The update arrives at a good time. Many families in Travis, Williamson, and Hays Counties want to avoid a lengthy probate process,…