“I leave everything I own to my grandson.” The above statement seems to leave no room for confusion. Whomever wrote it seemingly wished to leave his belongings to his grandchild, and no one else. But one court thought differently earlier this year. The case underscores the importance of having a…
More and more Texas couples are choosing to cohabitate without getting married. For older couples, this arrangement is often intended to protect assets for their children. Couples should be aware that cohabitation can affect estate planning in unexpected ways, however. With the right trusts and estate planning lawyer, cohabitating couples…
Congratulations on your new arrival! When planning for a first child, there are a few tasks that cannot be put off. One of these tasks that is often overlooked is estate planning. In the event of the unthinkable, a well-thought-out plan for your assets can help ensure that your children…
Selecting the right legal instrument for a charitable donation can help ensure that your good deed goes unpunished. One effective but lesser-known instrument for charitable donations is the charitable lead trust (CLT). Donors can set up this type of trust in Houston to provide a stream of income to a…
Eco-friendly homes are those that are built using environmentally conscious materials and appliances. In recent years, eco-friendly building in Texas has shifted from one-off construction to budding communities of sleek, sustainable housing. Eco-friendly property owners all have one thing in common: Each of them has taken the initiative to plan…
The recent increase in unexpected deaths as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic has brought the issue of estate planning to the front of many people’s minds. In planning for the end of their life, asset holders may be confused by the various tools that may be used to divide…
Planning Ahead Reduces Family Conflict Planning for the division of assets and other desires upon someone’s death can be an uncomfortable and difficult process. Often, parents or other benefactors want to assume that their heirs and beneficiaries will understand their end-of-life wishes and cooperate in dividing their assets and making…
Estate planning is a critical collection of documents that protects one’s assets and property for future generations. An “estate” is the collection of these documents, and it specifies who will protect ones’ wishes and act on them when the time comes. While estate planning is a centuries-old tradition that many…
Estate planning is a fairly complex topic. The laws frequently change and are not always intuitive. However, estate planning is crucial and, while the thought of starting the estate planning process may not be something anyone looks forward to, it is something everyone needs to consider. This is especially the…
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…