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...
In Texas, serving as an executor often begins during a time of grief and uncertainty. Once probate starts, the executor must protect assets, carry out the will and report to the court. As a fiduciary, the executor must act in the estate’s best interests. The first 30...
In the wake of grief after a friend or loved one passes away, some people may be startled to learn that they were either named by the decedent or the Texas probate courts as personal representative of the estate. What happens then? Make no mistake, this is a major...
It is a common misconception that if you are single and do not possess huge assets, you do not really need a will. Many believe their property will automatically and easily pass to their parents, siblings or loved ones. However, if you pass away without a will in...
Choosing to disinherit a family member is rarely an easy decision. While estate planning allows you to decide who inherits your property, removing a close relative from your will can have lasting emotional and legal consequences for everyone involved. Before making...
A fiduciary relationship is built on trust and carries a high standard of responsibility. It exists when one person accepts a legal and ethical duty to act in another person’s best interests, placing those interests above their own in all relevant decisions. Because...