Claudia “Lady Bird” Johnson is a well-known Texan and regarded by many as one of the first First Ladies of the United States to take an active political role alongside that of the President. However, for Texans, the term Lady Bird can refer to more than the former First Lady,…
When discussing Houston estate planning, there are likely to be many unfamiliar terms. Among these terms is the concept of “probate.” Probate is the part of the process by which assets are transferred after death, and specifically refers to the validation of a person’s will. However, the probate process is…
“The reality of COVID-19 has forced many individuals to address the ‘what if’ scenarios that were previously unthinkable, or at least the situations that no one ever wants to talk about or deal with.” With the COVID-19 pandemic, many people are looking to execute estate plans they’ve delayed in finalizing…
In a perfect world, a child would be raised by its parents. However, this isn’t always possible, and legally enforceable decisions must sometimes be made to name the person who is best positioned to look after a child. Guardianship is generally only needed when a person is incapable—whether legally or…
“When is the last time you updated your will? Could your beneficiaries have changed? If you have a trust, did you actually fund it? Is your plan ready for the new SECURE Act? Here are five mistakes you don’t want to make.” You don’t have to be super-wealthy to see…
“Maintaining a valid and current estate plan is vitally necessary in order to ensure the efficient and orderly dispersion of assets after a person dies. However, even a small mistake can create huge problems during the settlement process, and in many cases, these errors are impossible for anyone to correct.”…
With COVID-19 impacting more and more Americans, individuals across the country are scrambling to set up wills and end-of-life directives. Over the last two weeks, online will companies have seen an explosion in users, according to the article, “Coronavirus Pandemic Triggers Rush by Americans to Make Online Wills,” published by…
Managing your finances likely isn’t the most exciting task on your to-do list, but it’s crucial if you want to reach all your financial goals and set yourself up for long-term success.” You may be saving for retirement, paying down debt or simply budgeting for your everyday expenses. Whatever your…
“You may have a friend, or two, who has blown a large inheritance. Some of you may have also seen a news story about a lottery winner who went bankrupt (or worse) just a few years after receiving a life-altering sum of money. If you don’t want this to be…
The Internal Revenue Service is postponing the date for filing gift tax and generation-skipping transfer tax returns and making payments until July 15, 2020, because of the novel coronavirus pandemic. The IRS has expanded the list of deadline extensions for federal taxes and tax returns to include gift and generation-skipping…