Dallas investors often own rentals in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Colorado, or beyond. When you pass, each state wants its own probate for local real estate—a slow, expensive loop called ancillary probate. A revocable trust can bypass that loop entirely. With the right deed work and a clear management plan, your trustee…
High-rise living brings amenities, views, and rules. If you own a condo in Uptown or Victory Park, your estate plan must fit building policies, HOA bylaws, and lender expectations. A little preparation prevents probate delays, HOA fines, and unhappy neighbors—while preserving value when it is time to sell or transfer.…
Hill Country acreage carries memories, water, and wide horizons—but it also carries management challenges. Multiple siblings, roaming property lines, county taxes, and seasonal income make succession tricky. A Family Limited Partnership (FLP) can centralize control, protect against creditor chaos, and hand the land to the next generation with fewer court…
East Austin’s duplexes and backyard ADUs mix rental income with neighborhood character. They also create unique succession questions when an owner dies or becomes incapacitated. If you plan now, tenants keep paying, contractors keep showing up, and your heirs receive a property that is easy to manage or sell. A…
One effective tool for property owners that are thinking through their estate plans is joint tenancy with the right of survivorship. While this form of ownership might not be right for everyone, it can certainly be an efficient, effective way to both maintain property and avoid probate down the line.…
Passing real estate to beneficiaries can be more complicated than you might think. If you own property, there are several steps you must take in order to ensure your property passes down to your chosen beneficiaries. In general, real estate will go through the probate process, but there are a…
Estate planning has evolved greatly over the past century, and it continues to change with each passing year. For example, estate planning attorneys must regularly adapt client plans to changes in tax laws. Keeping up with changes to the legal field and their implications for estate planning is a task…
According to the National Association of Realtors, the pandemic has brought on an unprecedented amount of home sales in Texas and throughout the United States. As home sales increased, mortgage rates hit record lows, encouraging quarantined home buyers to jump-start their searches. Those who have bought or sold a home…
Because estate planning is often perceived as a complicated process, Texans assume there are other options that are an acceptable substitute for an estate plan. One such example of this is joint tenancy. Joint tenancy is a legal arrangement in which two or more people own a property together with…
Many instances of estate planning disasters start when well-meaning people try to use a simple solution for what is ultimately a complicated problem. It’s better for all concerned to meet with an estate planning attorney who can present strategies that will achieve goals, rather than attempt a do-it-yourself plan that…