Losing a spouse while managing probate can be an overwhelming combination. For surviving spouses in Texas, state law provides constitutional and statutory protections designed to keep you financially stable and securely housed during estate administration. Texas...
When a loved one passes away, family members or friends often pay out-of-pocket for funeral and burial expenses to ensure proper arrangements are made promptly. In Texas, individuals who pay for these services are generally entitled to seek reimbursement directly from...
On average, only about 1/3 of all Americans have drafted an estate plan. This means that most people do not have a will, they have not created a trust and they have not taken other steps to plan for the future, such as setting up a power of attorney. When someone...
Losing a loved one is difficult enough without the chaos you can experience during the probate process. In Texas, the executor (also known as the personal representative) is responsible for handling your loved one’s estate. They have a fiduciary duty, the highest...
You do not always have to wait until probate officially ends to distribute estate assets. In Texas, an independent executor can make certain distributions during administration. However, the will, court orders and the type of property can affect what you can...
Your estate plan may need to include some digital assets. But the reality is that it is complex. It depends on the type of digital assets you have, how you acquired them and what you plan to do with them moving forward. For example, perhaps you purchased...
Serving as a trustee comes with a strict fiduciary duty to manage trust assets solely in the best interest of the beneficiaries. When a trustee mismanages funds, fails to communicate or acts in self-interest, the beneficiaries often wonder if it's possible to remove...
Serving as an executor includes more than gathering assets and paying debtsYou are also responsible for identifying and notifying all legal heirs. When an heir is missing or unknown, Texas law requires additional steps before probate can move forward. The difference...
An estate plan helps establish what happens to your assets after you pass away. For example, you may want your spouse to inherit your entire estate. You may split your estate among your children. You can use a will to codify who inherits your assets. However, a will...
The probate process typically takes 6 to 18 months, though simple estates can sometimes be completed in 3 months. Unfortunately, even relatively minor mistakes can slow the administration of an estate, increase costs and create unnecessary stress for the surviving...